mlsanityData to 14 Oct 2026

GenericAgent: A Token-Efficient Self-Evolving LLM Agent via Contextual Information Density Maximization (V1.0)

arXiv 2604.17091 ↗First posted 18 Apr 2026cs.CLcited by 10

On the map: LLM agents and tool use → Agent memory systems

also in 1 more
Abstract (arXiv)

Long-horizon large language model (LLM) agents are fundamentally limited by context. As interactions become longer, tool descriptions, retrieved memories, and raw environmental feedback accumulate and push out the information needed for decision-making. At the same time, useful experience gained from tasks is often lost across episodes. We argue that long-horizon performance is determined not by context length, but by how much decision-relevant information is maintained within a finite context budget. We present GenericAgent (GA), a general-purpose, self-evolving LLM agent system built around a single principle: context information density maximization. GA implements this through four closely connected components: a minimal atomic tool set that keeps the interface simple, a hierarchical on-demand memory that only shows a small high-level view by default, a self-evolution mechanism that turns verified past trajectories into reusable SOPs and executable code, and a context truncation and compression layer that maintains information density during long executions. Across task completion, tool use efficiency, memory effectiveness, self-evolution, and web browsing, GA consistently outperforms leading agent systems while using significantly fewer tokens and interactions, and it continues to evolve over time. Project: https://github.com/lsdefine/GenericAgent

Key facts. Cited by 10 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026). Placed in Agent memory systems, one of 16 directions in LLM agents and tool use. Builds on 33 of its 41 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 18 Apr 2026.

Builds on

33 of 41 references.

Closest ancestors · 6

Same direction, newest first

  1. 2025TeleMem: Building Long-Term and Multimodal Memory for Agentic AI12 Dec
  2. 2025LifelongAgentBench: Evaluating LLM Agents as Lifelong Learners17 May
  3. 2025Mem0: Building Production-Ready AI Agents with Scalable Long-Term Memory28 Apr
  4. 2025In Prospect and Retrospect: Reflective Memory Management for Long-term Personalized Dialogue Agents11 Mar
  5. 2025A-MEM: Agentic Memory for LLM Agents17 Feb
  6. 2024Evaluating Very Long-Term Conversational Memory of LLM Agents27 Feb

Other references · 27

  1. 2022ReAct: Synergizing Reasoning and Acting in Language Modelscited by 8,695
  2. 2023Reflexion: Language Agents with Verbal Reinforcement Learningcited by 4,276
  3. 2023Generative Agents: Interactive Simulacra of Human Behaviorcited by 3,568
  4. 2023Lost in the Middle: How Language Models Use Long Contextscited by 3,455
  5. 2023Voyager: An Open-Ended Embodied Agent with Large Language Modelscited by 2,191
  6. 2023MetaGPT: Meta Programming for A Multi-Agent Collaborative Frameworkcited by 1,808
  7. 2024SWE-agent: Agent-Computer Interfaces Enable Automated Software Engineeringcited by 1,737
  8. 2023MemGPT: Towards LLMs as Operating Systemscited by 1,389
  9. 2024OpenHands: An Open Platform for AI Software Developers as Generalist Agentscited by 1,002
  10. 2023ExpeL: LLM Agents Are Experiential Learnerscited by 876
  11. 2023Large Language Models Can Be Easily Distracted by Irrelevant Contextcited by 841
  12. 2024Executable Code Actions Elicit Better LLM Agentscited by 564
15 more
  1. 2023MemoryBank: Enhancing Large Language Models with Long-Term Memorycited by 556
  2. 2023LongLLMLingua: Accelerating and Enhancing LLMs in Long Context Scenarios via Prompt Compressioncited by 453
  3. 2025LLMs Get Lost In Multi-Turn Conversationcited by 429
  4. 2025BrowseComp-ZH: Benchmarking Web Browsing Ability of Large Language Models in Chinesecited by 145
  5. 2025EvolveR: Self-Evolving LLM Agents through an Experience-Driven Lifecyclecited by 137
  6. 2024WebCanvas: Benchmarking Web Agents in Online Environmentscited by 121
  7. 2024Agent-Pro: Learning to Evolve via Policy-Level Reflection and Optimizationcited by 94
  8. 2025AgentEvolver: Towards Efficient Self-Evolving Agent Systemcited by 85
  9. 2024Why Does the Effective Context Length of LLMs Fall Short?cited by 63
  10. 2025FLEX: Continuous Agent Evolution via Forward Learning from Experiencecited by 52
  11. 2025Building Self-Evolving Agents via Experience-Driven Lifelong Learning: A Framework and Benchmarkcited by 45
  12. 2025Context as a Tool: Context Management for Long-Horizon SWE-Agentscited by 43
  13. 2025SOP-Bench: Complex Industrial SOPs for Evaluating LLM Agentscited by 23
  14. 2025Rethinking Stateful Tool Use in Multi-Turn Dialogues: Benchmarks and Challengescited by 12
  15. 2026RealFin: How Well Do LLMs Reason About Finance When Users Leave Things Unsaid?cited by 9

Built on by

Cited by year (2026 to 14 Oct)

Citing papers per year: 2026: 10.

10 papers.

Similar, not cited

Close in wording, no citation either way

  1. 2026Learning What to Remember and What to Internalize in LLM Self-Evolution via Adaptive Memory-Parameter Coordination
  2. 2026Memory for Autonomous LLM Agents:Mechanisms, Evaluation, and Emerging Frontiers
  3. 2026EvoMemBench: Benchmarking Agent Memory from a Self-Evolving Perspective
  4. 2026From Storage to Experience: A Survey on the Evolution of LLM Agent Memory Mechanisms
  5. 2026Self-Consolidation for Self-Evolving Agents
  6. 2026Metis: Bridging Text and Code Memory for Self-Evolving Agents
  7. 2025Beyond Training: Enabling Self-Evolution of Agents with MOBIMEM
  8. 2025MemEvolve: Meta-Evolution of Agent Memory Systems