SPARK: Stepwise Process-Aware Rewards for Reference-Free Reinforcement Learning

arXiv — cs.LGThursday, December 4, 2025 at 5:00:00 AM
  • SPARK introduces a three-stage framework for reinforcement learning that utilizes process reward models (PRMs) to provide dense feedback without the need for costly annotations. The first stage involves generating diverse solutions, which are then evaluated by a verifier model, leading to the creation of synthetic training data for fine-tuning PRMs. This method has demonstrated superior performance on benchmarks like ProcessBench, achieving an F1 score of 67.5 compared to traditional methods.
  • The development of SPARK is significant as it addresses the limitations of existing reinforcement learning approaches that rely heavily on expensive ground truth references. By leveraging self-consistency and meta-critique, SPARK enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of training models, potentially accelerating advancements in AI applications across various domains.
  • This innovation reflects a broader trend in AI research towards reducing reliance on manual data annotation and improving model training through automated processes. The integration of frameworks like SPARK and others, such as FunReason and hierarchical process reward models, highlights a collective effort to enhance the capabilities of AI systems, particularly in complex reasoning and multimodal tasks.
— via World Pulse Now AI Editorial System

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