Open-Sourced Recursive Self-Improvement Agent Beats GPT-5.5 on a Single RTX 4090

mark_k · x · 2026-08-02

Frontis-MA1 (35B) is a new AI4AI agent trained for recursive self-improvement in machine learning engineering. The project releases the full OpenMLE stack, closing the loop between learning and evolution using four post-trained operators: Draft, Improve, Debug, and Crossover.

Under a 12-hour per-task budget on a single RTX 4090 (capped at 12GB VRAM), the model improves its score on MLE-Bench Lite from a base 39.4% to 71.2% with OpenMLE-Evo-Max, beating GPT-5.5 + Codex. The gains also transfer to the held-out NatureBench. Weights and code are fully open-source.

Related event: OpenMLE: An Open-Source Stack for Recursive AI Self-Improvement(3 posts)→

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