Reasoning models 'overthink': similar prompts yield 10x difference in reasoning length and cost
wgilpin0 · x · 2026-09-09
In a thread, the authors show reasoning models commonly 'overthink': two similar prompts can produce reasoning traces differing by 10x in length, scaling token cost. They parametrize problem + weights as a dynamical system whose solution is a fixed point, and by varying initial latent states across a random 2D slice, they find fractal basins in convergence time.
Related event: Fractal basins and transient chaos explain why reasoning models overthink(13 posts)→
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