mlsanityData to 7 Oct 2026

Factored Latent Action World Models

arXiv 2602.16229 ↗First posted 18 Feb 2026cs.LGcited by 6

On the map: World models → Embodied and robot world models

Abstract (arXiv)

Learning latent actions from action-free video has emerged as a powerful paradigm for scaling up controllable world model learning. Latent actions provide a natural interface for users to iteratively generate and manipulate videos. However, most existing approaches rely on monolithic inverse and forward dynamics models that learn a single latent action to control the entire scene, and therefore struggle in complex environments where multiple entities act simultaneously. This paper introduces Factored Latent Action Model (FLAM), a factored dynamics framework that decomposes the scene into independent factors, each inferring its own latent action and predicting its own next-step factor value. This factorized structure enables more accurate modeling of complex multi-entity dynamics and improves video generation quality in action-free video settings compared to monolithic models. Based on experiments on both simulation and real-world multi-entity datasets, we find that FLAM outperforms prior work in prediction accuracy and representation quality, and facilitates downstream policy learning, demonstrating the benefits of factorized latent action models.

Key facts. Cited by 6 papers in the map (data through 7 Oct 2026). Placed in Embodied and robot world models, one of 11 directions in World models. Builds on 29 of its 38 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 18 Feb 2026.

Builds on

29 of 38 references.

Closest ancestors · 2

Same direction, newest first

  1. 2025AdaWorld: Learning Adaptable World Models with Latent Actions24 Mar
  2. 2023Learning to Act without Actions17 Dec

Other references · 27

  1. 2017Neural Discrete Representation Learningcited by 4,650
  2. 2018UMAP: Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection for Dimension Reductioncited by 2,841
  3. 2020Object-Centric Learning with Slot Attentioncited by 865
  4. 2024Genie: Generative Interactive Environmentscited by 706
  5. 2021NuPlan: A closed-loop ML-based planning benchmark for autonomous vehiclescited by 485
  6. 2023Finite Scalar Quantization: VQ-VAE Made Simplecited by 425
  7. 2019MONet: Unsupervised Scene Decomposition and Representationcited by 388
  8. 2019Multi-Object Representation Learning with Iterative Variational Inferencecited by 359
  9. 2022Video PreTraining (VPT): Learning to Act by Watching Unlabeled Online Videoscited by 338
  10. 2024Latent Action Pretraining from Videoscited by 302
  11. 2021Conditional Object-Centric Learning from Videocited by 247
  12. 2022SlotFormer: Unsupervised Visual Dynamics Simulation with Object-Centric Modelscited by 146
15 more
  1. 2020Phasic Policy Gradientcited by 121
  2. 2024Towards learning-based planning:The nuPlan benchmark for real-world autonomous drivingcited by 103
  3. 2018Imitating Latent Policies from Observationcited by 101
  4. 2020Counterfactual Data Augmentation using Locally Factored Dynamicscited by 93
  5. 2023Object-Centric Slot Diffusioncited by 90
  6. 2022Causal Dynamics Learning for Task-Independent State Abstractioncited by 64
  7. 2014Near-optimal Reinforcement Learning in Factored MDPscited by 41
  8. 2025Latent Action Learning Requires Supervision in the Presence of Distractorscited by 40
  9. 2022Learning to Drive by Watching YouTube Videos: Action-Conditioned Contrastive Policy Pretrainingcited by 37
  10. 2023Theory of Mind as Intrinsic Motivation for Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learningcited by 19
  11. 2025PlaySlot: Learning Inverse Latent Dynamics for Controllable Object-Centric Video Prediction and Planningcited by 13
  12. 2025Dyn-O: Building Structured World Models with Object-Centric Representationscited by 12
  13. 2025Object-Centric Latent Action Learningcited by 9
  14. 2024EC-Diffuser: Multi-Object Manipulation via Entity-Centric Behavior Generationcited by 8
  15. 2025SLAC: Safe and Efficient Real-Robot Reinforcement Learning via Unsupervised Simulation Pre-Trainingcited by 7

Built on by

Cited by year (2026 to 7 Oct)

Citing papers per year: 2026: 6.

6 papers.

Similar, not cited

Close in wording, no citation either way

  1. 2026DiLA: Disentangled Latent Action World Models
  2. 2026Olaf-World: Orienting Latent Actions for Video World Modeling
  3. 2026Learning Latent Action World Models In The Wild
  4. 2026LD4WAM: Learning Latent Dynamics from Human Videos for World Action Models
  5. 2026WLA3: World Latent Action Modeling for Semantics, Dynamics, and Kinematics
  6. 2026Causally Debiased Latent Action Model for Embodied Action Conditioned World Models
  7. 2026Hierarchical Latent Action Model
  8. 2026Action Forcing: Training World Models on Unsupervised Video by Recovering Underlying Egomotion Bases