mlsanityData to 7 Oct 2026

Reinforcing VLAs in Task-Agnostic World Models

arXiv 2605.12334 ↗First posted 12 May 2026cs.AIcited by 0

On the map: World models → Latent dynamics models and model-based RL

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Abstract (arXiv)

Post-training Vision-Language-Action (VLA) models via reinforcement learning (RL) in learned world models has emerged as an effective strategy to adapt to new tasks without costly real-world interactions. However, while using imagined trajectories reduces the sample complexity of policy training, existing methods still heavily rely on task-specific data to fine-tune both the world and reward models, fundamentally limiting their scalability to unseen tasks. To overcome this, we argue that world and reward models should capture transferable physical priors that enable zero-shot inference. We propose RAW-Dream (Reinforcing VLAs in task-Agnostic World Dreams), a new paradigm that completely disentangles world model learning from downstream task dependencies. RAW-Dream utilizes a world model pre-trained on diverse task-free behaviors for predicting future rollouts, and an off-the-shelf Vision-Language Model (VLM) for reward generation. Because both components are task-agnostic, VLAs can be readily finetuned for any new task entirely within this zero-shot imagination. Furthermore, to mitigate world model hallucinations, we introduce a dual-noise verification mechanism to filter out unreliable rollouts. Extensive experiments across simulation and real-world settings demonstrate consistent performance gains, proving that generalized physical priors can effectively substitute for costly task-dependent data, offering a highly scalable roadmap for VLA adaptation.

Key facts. No citing papers in the map yet (data through 7 Oct 2026). Placed in Latent dynamics models and model-based RL, one of 11 directions in World models. Builds on 44 of its 46 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 12 May 2026.

Builds on

44 of 46 references.

Closest ancestors · 2

Same direction, newest first

  1. 2025DiWA: Diffusion Policy Adaptation with World Models5 Aug
  2. 2020Planning to Explore via Self-Supervised World Models12 May

Other references · 42

  1. 2024DeepSeekMath: Pushing the Limits of Mathematical Reasoning in Open Language Modelscited by 8,851
  2. 2022Scalable Diffusion Models with Transformerscited by 5,931
  3. 2022Flow Straight and Fast: Learning to Generate and Transfer Data with Rectified Flowcited by 3,550
  4. 2024OpenVLA: An Open-Source Vision-Language-Action Modelcited by 2,777
  5. 2025Wan: Open and Advanced Large-Scale Video Generative Modelscited by 2,536
  6. 2025Qwen3-VL Technical Reportcited by 2,534
  7. 2024π0: A Vision-Language-Action Flow Model for General Robot Controlcited by 2,297
  8. 2025π0.5: a Vision-Language-Action Model with Open-World Generalizationcited by 1,653
  9. 2023LIBERO: Benchmarking Knowledge Transfer for Lifelong Robot Learningcited by 1,338
  10. 2022VideoMAE: Masked Autoencoders are Data-Efficient Learners for Self-Supervised Video Pre-Trainingcited by 1,305
  11. 2025Fine-Tuning Vision-Language-Action Models: Optimizing Speed and Successcited by 844
  12. 2020MOPO: Model-based Offline Policy Optimizationcited by 630
30 more
  1. 2020MOReL : Model-Based Offline Reinforcement Learningcited by 582
  2. 2025π*0.6: a VLA That Learns From Experiencecited by 280
  3. 2025World Simulation with Video Foundation Models for Physical AIcited by 183
  4. 2025VLA-RL: Towards Masterful and General Robotic Manipulation with Scalable Reinforcement Learningcited by 166
  5. 2025SimpleVLA-RL: Scaling VLA Training via Reinforcement Learningcited by 141
  6. 2024IRASim: A Fine-Grained World Model for Robot Manipulationcited by 93
  7. 2025WMPO: World Model-based Policy Optimization for Vision-Language-Action Modelscited by 68
  8. 2025VLA-RFT: Vision-Language-Action Reinforcement Fine-tuning with Verified Rewards in World Simulatorscited by 65
  9. 2022Challenges and Opportunities in Offline Reinforcement Learning from Visual Observationscited by 63
  10. 2025WorldGym: World Model as An Environment for Policy Evaluationcited by 61
  11. 2025villa-X: Enhancing Latent Action Modeling in Vision-Language-Action Modelscited by 58
  12. 2025World-Env: Leveraging World Model as a Virtual Environment for VLA Post-Trainingcited by 57
  13. 2025RLinf: Flexible and Efficient Large-scale Reinforcement Learning via Macro-to-Micro Flow Transformationcited by 51
  14. 2026Robometer: Scaling General-Purpose Robotic Reward Models via Trajectory Comparisonscited by 51
  15. 2025Evaluating Gemini Robotics Policies in a Veo World Simulatorcited by 50
  16. 2026WoVR: World Models as Reliable Simulators for Post-Training VLA Policies with RLcited by 46
  17. 2025Pre-Trained Video Generative Models as World Simulatorscited by 43
  18. 2026RL Token: Bootstrapping Online RL with Vision-Language-Action Modelscited by 43
  19. 2026RISE: Self-Improving Robot Policy with Compositional World Modelcited by 39
  20. 2026VLAW: Iterative Co-Improvement of Vision-Language-Action Policy and World Modelcited by 39
  21. 2026World-VLA-Loop: Closed-Loop Learning of Video World Model and VLA Policycited by 36
  22. 2024GenRL: Multimodal-foundation world models for generalization in embodied agentscited by 29
  23. 2025NORA-1.5: A Vision-Language-Action Model Trained using World Model- and Action-based Preference Rewardscited by 26
  24. 2026World-Gymnast: Training Robots with Reinforcement Learning in a World Modelcited by 25
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  27. 2026PlayWorld: Learning Robot World Models from Autonomous Playcited by 16
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  29. 2025FOUNDER: Grounding Foundation Models in World Models for Open-Ended Embodied Decision Makingcited by 8
  30. 2026Towards Practical World Model-based Reinforcement Learning for Vision-Language-Action Modelscited by 4

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  6. 2025VLA-R1: Enhancing Reasoning in Vision-Language-Action Models
  7. 2026Look Before You Leap: Distilling Tree Search into Action Evaluation for Frozen VLA Models
  8. 2026Prioritized Rollouts for Efficient World Model-based Vision-Language-Action Policy Optimization