Reinforcement Learning vs. Distillation: Understanding Accuracy and Capability in LLM Reasoning

arXiv — cs.CLMonday, November 3, 2025 at 5:00:00 AM
A recent study explores the differences between reinforcement learning with verifiable rewards (RLVR) and distillation in enhancing the reasoning capabilities of large language models (LLMs). While RLVR improves overall accuracy, it often falls short in enhancing the models' ability to tackle more complex questions. In contrast, distillation shows promise in boosting both accuracy and capability. This research is significant as it sheds light on the mechanisms that govern LLM performance, which is crucial for advancing AI applications.
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