SkepticalSam
What does it mean for thinking to “emerge” in LLMs?
On the Emergence of Thinking in LLMs I: Searching for the Right Intuition
Published: 12 May 2026 · Updated: 13 July 2026
Read the original sourceWhat the paper says
This conceptual paper argues that above a certain parameter and data threshold, LLMs spontaneously develop thinking abilities. The authors discuss analogies with emergent phenomena in physics and cognitive science.
The Critique
The notion of “emergence” is ill-defined and may reflect our own interpretation of improved performance rather than a fundamental change in capability. The paper does not offer empirical evidence beyond anecdotal examples.
Why It Matters
Clarifying the conditions under which models develop reasoning can guide safe scaling and avoid overhyping minor improvements.
What They Missed
Without quantitative metrics, the discussion remains speculative. The authors also ignore negative results where scaling fails to produce reasoning gains.
The Big Question
Is there a principled way to characterize emergent properties in AI, or are we projecting human-centric narratives onto complex systems?