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Combinatorial optimization (CO) problems, central to decision-making scenarios like logistics and manufacturing, are traditionally solved using problem-specific algorithms requiring significant domain expertise. While large language models…

Artificial Intelligence · Computer Science 2025-09-24 Xia Jiang , Yaoxin Wu , Minshuo Li , Zhiguang Cao , Yingqian Zhang

The omnipresence of NP-hard combinatorial optimization problems (COPs) compels domain experts to engage in trial-and-error heuristic design. The long-standing endeavor of design automation has gained new momentum with the rise of large…

Neural and Evolutionary Computing · Computer Science 2024-10-15 Haoran Ye , Jiarui Wang , Zhiguang Cao , Federico Berto , Chuanbo Hua , Haeyeon Kim , Jinkyoo Park , Guojie Song

The integration of Large Language Models (LLMs) into optimization has created a powerful synergy, opening exciting research opportunities. This paper investigates how LLMs can enhance existing optimization algorithms. Using their…

Artificial Intelligence · Computer Science 2025-02-13 Camilo Chacón Sartori , Christian Blum

Heuristic functions are essential to the performance of tree search algorithms such as A*, where their accuracy and efficiency directly impact search outcomes. Traditionally, such heuristics are handcrafted, requiring significant expertise.…

Artificial Intelligence · Computer Science 2026-01-28 Thomas Bömer , Nico Koltermann , Max Disselnmeyer , Bastian Amberg , Anne Meyer

The prevailing paradigm in Automated Heuristic Design (AHD) typically relies on the assumption that a single, fixed algorithm can effectively navigate the shifting dynamics of a combinatorial search. This static approach often proves…

Artificial Intelligence · Computer Science 2026-03-17 Guidong Lu , Yiping Liu , Xiangxiang Zeng

Neural Combinatorial Optimization approaches have recently leveraged the expressiveness and flexibility of deep neural networks to learn efficient heuristics for hard Combinatorial Optimization (CO) problems. However, most of the current…

Machine Learning · Computer Science 2022-10-04 Sahil Manchanda , Sofia Michel , Darko Drakulic , Jean-Marc Andreoli

Large Language Models (LLMs) have demonstrated impressive capability in many natural language tasks. However, the auto-regressive generation process makes LLMs prone to produce errors, hallucinations and inconsistent statements when…

Artificial Intelligence · Computer Science 2024-07-23 Chaojie Wang , Yanchen Deng , Zhiyi Lyu , Liang Zeng , Jujie He , Shuicheng Yan , Bo An

Combinatorial optimization problems often rely on heuristic algorithms to generate efficient solutions. However, the manual design of heuristics is resource-intensive and constrained by the designer's expertise. Recent advances in…

Artificial Intelligence · Computer Science 2025-03-06 Thomas Bömer , Nico Koltermann , Max Disselnmeyer , Laura Dörr , Anne Meyer

Large Language Models (LLMs) are emerging as promising tools for automated reinforcement learning (RL) reward design, owing to their robust capabilities in commonsense reasoning and code generation. By engaging in dialogues with RL agents,…

Artificial Intelligence · Computer Science 2025-04-14 Zen Kit Heng , Zimeng Zhao , Tianhao Wu , Yuanfei Wang , Mingdong Wu , Yangang Wang , Hao Dong

External memory is a key component of modern large language model (LLM) systems, enabling long-term interaction and personalization. Despite its importance, memory management is still largely driven by hand-designed heuristics, offering…

Computation and Language · Computer Science 2025-12-29 Changzhi Sun , Xiangyu Chen , Jixiang Luo , Dell Zhang , Xuelong Li

Solving NP-hard/complete combinatorial problems with neural networks is a challenging research area that aims to surpass classical approximate algorithms. The long-term objective is to outperform hand-designed heuristics for…

Neural and Evolutionary Computing · Computer Science 2024-02-14 Dobrik Georgiev , Danilo Numeroso , Davide Bacciu , Pietro Liò

In this work, we provide a systematic analysis of how large language models (LLMs) contribute to solving planning problems. In particular, we examine how LLMs perform when they are used as problem solver, solution verifier, and heuristic…

Artificial Intelligence · Computer Science 2024-12-16 Haoming Li , Zhaoliang Chen , Songyuan Liu , Yiming Lu , Fei Liu

The reasoning abilities are one of the most enigmatic and captivating aspects of large language models (LLMs). Numerous studies are dedicated to exploring and expanding the boundaries of this reasoning capability. However, tasks that embody…

Artificial Intelligence · Computer Science 2025-02-27 Yuze Zhao , Tianyun Ji , Wenjun Feng , Zhenya Huang , Qi Liu , Zhiding Liu , Yixiao Ma , Kai Zhang , Enhong Chen

We posit that we can generate more robust and performant heuristics if we augment approaches using LLMs for heuristic design with tools that explain why heuristics underperform and suggestions about how to fix them. We find even simple…

Artificial Intelligence · Computer Science 2025-10-13 Pantea Karimi , Dany Rouhana , Pooria Namyar , Siva Kesava Reddy Kakarla , Venkat Arun , Behnaz Arzani

In recent years, large language models (LLMs) have shown remarkable capabilities in various artificial intelligence problems. However, they fail to plan reliably, even when prompted with a detailed definition of the planning task. Attempts…

Artificial Intelligence · Computer Science 2025-10-27 Augusto B. Corrêa , André G. Pereira , Jendrik Seipp

Combinatorial optimization problems are traditionally tackled with handcrafted heuristic algorithms, which demand extensive domain expertise and significant implementation effort. Recent progress has highlighted the potential of automatic…

Artificial Intelligence · Computer Science 2025-10-01 Yihong Liu , Junyi Li , Wayne Xin Zhao , Hongyu Lu , Ji-Rong Wen

Path planning is a fundamental scientific problem in robotics and autonomous navigation, requiring the derivation of efficient routes from starting to destination points while avoiding obstacles. Traditional algorithms like A* and its…

Robotics · Computer Science 2025-04-10 Silin Meng , Yiwei Wang , Cheng-Fu Yang , Nanyun Peng , Kai-Wei Chang

Since the rise of Large Language Models (LLMs) a couple of years ago, researchers in metaheuristics (MHs) have wondered how to use their power in a beneficial way within their algorithms. This paper introduces a novel approach that…

Artificial Intelligence · Computer Science 2025-02-13 Camilo Chacón Sartori , Christian Blum , Filippo Bistaffa , Guillem Rodríguez Corominas

A key challenge in satisficing planning is to use multiple heuristics within one heuristic search. An aggregation of multiple heuristic estimates, for example by taking the maximum, has the disadvantage that bad estimates of a single…

Artificial Intelligence · Computer Science 2021-04-13 David Speck , André Biedenkapp , Frank Hutter , Robert Mattmüller , Marius Lindauer

Algorithm design is crucial for effective problem-solving across various domains. The advent of Large Language Models (LLMs) has notably enhanced the automation and innovation within this field, offering new perspectives and promising…

Machine Learning · Computer Science 2026-01-06 Fei Liu , Yiming Yao , Ping Guo , Zhiyuan Yang , Zhe Zhao , Xi Lin , Xialiang Tong , Kun Mao , Zhichao Lu , Zhenkun Wang , Mingxuan Yuan , Qingfu Zhang