# Adaptive Information Control for Search-Augmented LLM Reasoning

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.01672 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2602.01672/

## Key facts

- Cited by 11 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Placed in Knowledge- and tool-augmented reasoning, one of 17 directions in LLM reasoning.
- Builds on 34 of its 80 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 2 Feb 2026.

## Placed in

- LLM reasoning / [Knowledge- and tool-augmented reasoning](https://mlsanity.com/lr/knowledge-and-tool-augmented-reasoning/)

## Builds on (most cited first, 30 of 34)

- [Proximal Policy Optimization Algorithms](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1707.06347/) (2017)
- [DeepSeekMath: Pushing the Limits of Mathematical Reasoning in Open Language Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2402.03300/) (2024)
- [DeepSeek-R1: Incentivizing Reasoning Capability in LLMs via Reinforcement Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2501.12948/) (2025)
- [Qwen2.5 Technical Report](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2412.15115/) (2024)
- [HotpotQA: A Dataset for Diverse, Explainable Multi-hop Question Answering](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1809.09600/) (2018)
- [TriviaQA: A Large Scale Distantly Supervised Challenge Dataset for Reading Comprehension](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1705.03551/) (2017)
- [HybridFlow: A Flexible and Efficient RLHF Framework](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2409.19256/) (2024)
- [WebGPT: Browser-assisted question-answering with human feedback](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2112.09332/) (2021)
- [Search-R1: Training LLMs to Reason and Leverage Search Engines with Reinforcement Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2503.09516/) (2025)
- [Constructing A Multi-hop QA Dataset for Comprehensive Evaluation of Reasoning Steps](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2011.01060/) (2020)
- [Text Embeddings by Weakly-Supervised Contrastive Pre-training](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2212.03533/) (2022)
- [When Not to Trust Language Models: Investigating Effectiveness of Parametric and Non-Parametric Memories](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2212.10511/) (2022)
- [Measuring and Narrowing the Compositionality Gap in Language Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2210.03350/) (2022)
- [Atlas: Few-shot Learning with Retrieval Augmented Language Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2208.03299/) (2022)
- [Interleaving Retrieval with Chain-of-Thought Reasoning for Knowledge-Intensive Multi-Step Questions](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2212.10509/) (2022)
- [Siren's Song in the AI Ocean: A Survey on Hallucination in Large Language Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2309.01219/) (2023)
- [Search-o1: Agentic Search-Enhanced Large Reasoning Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2501.05366/) (2025)
- [DeepResearcher: Scaling Deep Research via Reinforcement Learning in Real-world Environments](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2504.03160/) (2025)
- [Large Language Models for Mathematical Reasoning: Progresses and Challenges](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2402.00157/) (2024)
- [DeepResearch Bench: A Comprehensive Benchmark for Deep Research Agents](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2506.11763/) (2025)
- [Deep Research Agents: A Systematic Examination And Roadmap](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2506.18096/) (2025)
- [AgentRouter: A Knowledge-Graph-Guided LLM Router for Collaborative Multi-Agent Question Answering](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2510.05445/) (2025)
- [TiMem: Temporal-Hierarchical Memory Consolidation for Long-Horizon Conversational Agents](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2601.02845/) (2026)
- [Neuro-Symbolic Artificial Intelligence: Towards Improving the Reasoning Abilities of Large Language Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2508.13678/) (2025)
- [SCOPE: Prompt Evolution for Enhancing Agent Effectiveness](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2512.15374/) (2025)
- [Enhancing Long Chain-of-Thought Reasoning through Multi-Path Plan Aggregation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2510.11620/) (2025)
- [SAKE: Structured Agentic Knowledge Extrapolation for Complex LLM Reasoning via Reinforcement Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2505.15062/) (2025)
- [Schoenfeld's Anatomy of Mathematical Reasoning by Language Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2512.19995/) (2025)
- [LRAS: Advanced Legal Reasoning with Agentic Search](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2601.07296/) (2026)
- [Mitigating Lost in Multi-turn Conversation via Curriculum RL with Verifiable Accuracy and Abstention Rewards](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2510.18731/) (2025)

## Built on by (most cited first, 11 of 11)

- [Why Semantic Entropy Fails: Geometry-Aware and Calibrated Uncertainty for Policy Optimization](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2605.21801/) (2026)
- [DIVE: Unlocking Self-Improvement in Frozen Language Models Through Diversity-Driven Skill Evolution](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2608.12486/) (2026)
- [MRMAD: A Multi-Round Multi-Audio Benchmark for Evaluating Acoustic Degradation Perception in Large Audio-Language Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2608.22236/) (2026)
- [RouteSparse: Input-Conditional Pattern Routing for Budgeted Long-Context Prefilling](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2608.29058/) (2026)
- [WebClipper: Efficient Evolution of Web Agents with Graph-based Trajectory Pruning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2602.12852/) (2026)
- [MemDLM: Memory-Enhanced DLM Training](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2603.22241/) (2026)
- [Surrogate Substitution Preserves PHI Detectability: A Multi-Detector Equivalence Study](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2608.03172/) (2026)
- [GRAIN: Bridging Name and Narrative Shifts in Real-World Graph Reasoning through Invariance-Rewarded Agentic RL](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2608.27142/) (2026)
- [Harnessing LLMs as Agents: What Does It Cost?](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2610.02488/) (2026)
- [CLEAT: Learning Value-Guided Clarification for Interactive Agents](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2610.12655/) (2026)
- [What Breaks in Multi-Image Schema Application? Factorial Oracle Interventions Reveal an Instance-Information Bottleneck](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2610.19611/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Search-augmented reasoning agents interleave multi-step reasoning with external retrieval, but uncontrolled retrieval can introduce redundant evidence, saturate the context, and destabilize reinforcement learning (RL). Existing outcome-based RL methods provide only sparse terminal rewards, offering limited guidance for intermediate information-acquisition decisions. We propose DeepControl, an adaptive information-control framework based on information utility, a state-dependent estimate of the marginal value of retrieved evidence. The framework regulates information acquisition along two axes: extent, i.e., whether retrieval should continue, and resolution, i.e., how much retrieved detail should be exposed. It implements these controls through retrieval-continuation guidance, hierarchical granularity control, and an annealed control-forcing scheme. This enables the policy to internalize effective acquisition behavior during training and operate without external control at test time. Across seven benchmarks, DeepControl consistently outperforms strong RL and retrieval baselines without explicit information control; compared with Search-R1, it improves average performance by +9.4 and +8.6 points on Qwen2.5-7B and Qwen2.5-3B, respectively. Additional analyses show improved search effectiveness, training stability, and evidence utilization.