mlsanityData to 7 Oct 2026

GenRouter: Unified Workflow Routing for Agentic Image Generation

arXiv 2608.16721 ↗First posted 17 Aug 2026cs.CVcited by 4

On the map: LLM agents and tool use → Multimodal and embodied agents

Abstract (arXiv)

The rapid evolution of text-to-image (T2I) generation models has effectively solved the foundational challenge of raw pixel synthesis, shifting the community's focus toward fulfilling increasingly intricate user requests. While recent agentic image generation workflows enhance static inference with advanced capabilities like external knowledge retrieval and iterative reasoning, they mostly operate in isolated silos with fixed ``one-size-fits-all" topologies. This inevitably leads to severe compute-mismatch, where simple queries are forced through computationally heavy pipelines. To bridge this gap, we present GenRouter, the first unified workflow routing framework for agentic image generation. We first formulate GenCanvas, standardizing diverse agentic pipelines into a universal set of foundational primitives and executable templates. Operating over this unified space, GenRouter adaptively routes heterogeneous prompts to their optimal workflows via (i) demand profiling, (ii) experience matching, and (iii) Pareto filtering. Extensive experiments across diverse benchmarks demonstrate that GenRouter achieves superior visual alignment while reducing execution costs by over 95% and latency by 65% compared to heavyweight static pipelines. Furthermore, the system continuously self-evolves via accumulated experience, enabling robust zero-shot generalization that boosts performance and halves computational overhead.

Key facts. Cited by 4 papers in the map (data through 7 Oct 2026). Placed in Multimodal and embodied agents, one of 16 directions in LLM agents and tool use. Builds on 40 of its 47 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 17 Aug 2026.

Builds on

40 of 47 references.

Closest ancestors · 8

Same direction, newest first

  1. 2026ToolArtist: Tool-Using Unified Multimodal Models for Agentic Image Generation5 Aug
  2. 2026GenClaw: Code-Driven Agentic Image Generation28 May
  3. 2026Gen-Searcher: Reinforcing Agentic Search for Image Generation30 Mar
  4. 2026Kimi K2.5: Visual Agentic Intelligence2 Feb
  5. 2026Mind-Brush: Integrating Agentic Cognitive Search and Reasoning into Image Generation2 Feb
  6. 2026GenAgent: Scaling Text-to-Image Generation via Agentic Multimodal Reasoning26 Jan
  7. 2025Maestro: Self-Improving Text-to-Image Generation via Agent Orchestration12 Sep
  8. 2025T2I-Copilot: A Training-Free Multi-Agent Text-to-Image System for Enhanced Prompt Interpretation and Interactive Generation28 Jul

Other references · 32

  1. 2021High-Resolution Image Synthesis with Latent Diffusion Modelscited by 18,694
  2. 2025Qwen3 Technical Reportcited by 8,195
  3. 2025Qwen-Image Technical Reportcited by 973
  4. 2023GenEval: An Object-Focused Framework for Evaluating Text-to-Image Alignmentcited by 946
  5. 2025Emerging Properties in Unified Multimodal Pretrainingcited by 855
  6. 2024ELLA: Equip Diffusion Models with LLM for Enhanced Semantic Alignmentcited by 455
  7. 2023Text-to-image Diffusion Models in Generative AI: A Surveycited by 264
  8. 2025Z-Image: An Efficient Image Generation Foundation Model with Single-Stream Diffusion Transformercited by 247
  9. 2025WISE: A World Knowledge-Informed Semantic Evaluation for Text-to-Image Generationcited by 196
  10. 2018Model Evaluation, Model Selection, and Algorithm Selection in Machine Learningcited by 157
  11. 2024GraphRouter: A Graph-based Router for LLM Selectionscited by 154
  12. 2025X-Omni: Reinforcement Learning Makes Discrete Autoregressive Image Generative Models Great Againcited by 105
20 more
  1. 2025OneIG-Bench: Omni-dimensional Nuanced Evaluation for Image Generationcited by 81
  2. 2025Universal Model Routing for Efficient LLM Inferencecited by 80
  3. 2025MasRouter: Learning to Route LLMs for Multi-Agent Systemscited by 80
  4. 2025Router-R1: Teaching LLMs Multi-Round Routing and Aggregation via Reinforcement Learningcited by 64
  5. 2023LLM Blueprint: Enabling Text-to-Image Generation with Complex and Detailed Promptscited by 53
  6. 2024Harnessing the Power of Multiple Minds: Lessons Learned from LLM Routingcited by 43
  7. 2025GenEval 2: Addressing Benchmark Drift in Text-to-Image Evaluationcited by 42
  8. 2025ArtiMuse: Fine-Grained Image Aesthetics Assessment with Joint Scoring and Expert-Level Understandingcited by 36
  9. 2025LightGen: Efficient Image Generation through Knowledge Distillation and Direct Preference Optimizationcited by 20
  10. 2025PromptSculptor: Multi-Agent Based Text-to-Image Prompt Optimizationcited by 19
  11. 2026GEMS: Agent-Native Multimodal Generation with Memory and Skillscited by 16
  12. 2026GenEvolve: Self-Evolving Image Generation Agents via Tool-Orchestrated Visual Experience Distillationcited by 15
  13. 2025Efficient Training-Free Online Routing for High-Volume Multi-LLM Servingcited by 13
  14. 2026EvoRoute: Experience-Driven Self-Routing LLM Agent Systemscited by 13
  15. 2024Prompt Refinement with Image Pivot for Text-to-Image Generationcited by 11
  16. 2026Qwen-Image-Agent: Bridging the Context Gap in Real-World Image Generationcited by 8
  17. 2026Show, Don't Tell: Morphing Latent Reasoning into Image Generationcited by 7
  18. 2026SCOPE: Structured Decomposition and Conditional Skill Orchestration for Complex Image Generationcited by 6
  19. 2026Learning Agent Routing From Early Experiencecited by 3
  20. 2024Adaptive Routing of Text-to-Image Generation Requests Between Large Cloud Model and Light-Weight Edge Modelcited by 2

Built on by

Cited by year (2026 to 7 Oct)

Citing papers per year: 2026: 4.

4 papers.

Similar, not cited

Close in wording, no citation either way

  1. 2026OctoT2I: A Self-Evolving Agentic Text-to-Image Router
  2. 2026COMFYCLAW: Self-Evolving Skill Harnesses for Image Generation Workflows
  3. 2026RS-Gen: A Multi-Stage Agentic Framework for Reasoning and Search-Augmented Image Generation
  4. 2025ImAgent: A Unified Multimodal Agent Framework for Test-Time Scalable Image Generation
  5. 2025GenPilot: A Multi-Agent System for Test-Time Prompt Optimization in Image Generation
  6. 2026MemoGen: Can Past Experience Improve Future Text-to-Image Generation?
  7. 2026M3: High-fidelity Text-to-Image Generation via Multi-Modal, Multi-Agent and Multi-Round Visual Reasoning
  8. 2026Agentic Flow Steering and Parallel Rollout Search for Spatially Grounded Text-to-Image Generation