SelfGoal: Your Language Agents Already Know How to Achieve High-level Goals

Original Paper: https://arxiv.org/abs/2406.04784

By: Ruihan Yang, Jiangjie Chen, Yikai Zhang, Siyu Yuan, Aili Chen, Kyle Richardson, Yanghua Xiao, Deqing Yang

Abstract:

Language agents powered by large language models (LLMs) are increasingly valuable as decision-making tools in domains such as gaming and programming. However, these agents often face challenges in achieving high-level goals without detailed instructions and in adapting to environments where feedback is delayed. In this paper, we present SelfGoal, a novel automatic approach designed to enhance agents' capabilities to achieve high-level goals with limited human prior and environmental feedback. The core concept of SelfGoal involves adaptively breaking down a high-level goal into a tree structure of more practical subgoals during the interaction with environments while identifying the most useful subgoals and progressively updating this structure. Experimental results demonstrate that SelfGoal significantly enhances the performance of language agents across various tasks, including competitive, cooperative, and deferred feedback environments. Project page:this https URL

Summary Notes

In the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, autonomous language agents powered by large language models (LLMs) are gaining prominence as decision-making tools across diverse domains such as gaming, programming, and more. However, equipping these agents to consistently achieve high-level goals without frequent retraining remains a challenging task. Enter SELFGOAL, a novel framework designed to enable language agents to dynamically adapt and excel in achieving complex high-level goals. This blog post delves into the intricacies of SELFGOAL, highlighting its methodologies, key findings, and the implications of its application.

Introduction: The Challenge of High-Level Goals

Imagine an AI agent tasked with the high-level goal of "winning the most money" in a competitive auction or "succeeding in a competition." These goals are broad and ambiguous, presenting significant challenges due to their inherent complexity and the delayed nature of rewards. Traditional approaches often fall short, either by decomposing tasks without grounding them in the environment or by summarizing experiences in a manner that's too general to be actionable. This is where SELFGOAL steps in, offering a self-adaptive framework that bridges these gaps.

Methodology: Adaptive Goal Decomposition

At the heart of SELFGOAL lies the concept of adaptively breaking down a high-level goal into a hierarchical tree structure of practical subgoals, dynamically refined based on environmental feedback. The framework is built around three core modules:

1. Search Module: Utilizes the prior knowledge of LLMs to select the top-K most relevant subgoals from the GOAL TREE based on the current state.
2. Decomposition Module: Breaks down selected subgoals into more concrete and manageable tasks, ensuring the GOAL TREE grows adaptively.
3. Act Module: Guides the agent to take actions aligned with the selected subgoals, prompting the LLMs for the next steps.

This hierarchical decomposition and continuous refinement enable the agent to navigate complex tasks effectively, maintaining alignment with high-level objectives.

Key Findings: Enhanced Performance Across Scenarios

Extensive experiments across various scenarios, including competitive and cooperative environments, demonstrate the significant performance boost provided by SELFGOAL. Here are some highlights:

• Public Goods Game: Agents equipped with SELFGOAL consistently contributed fewer tokens, aligning closely with rational behavior and achieving a Nash equilibrium faster than those using alternative methods.
• Guess 2/3 of the Average: SELFGOAL-enhanced agents exhibited superior Theory of Mind (ToM) abilities, quickly converging to the optimal guess of zero.
• First-price Auction: SELFGOAL agents demonstrated strategic bidding, securing high-priority items early and avoiding intense competition later, leading to higher profits.
• Bargaining: SELFGOAL facilitated effective negotiation strategies, minimizing profit discrepancies between parties through clear, actionable guidance.

Implications and Potential Applications

The implications of SELFGOAL are profound, offering a pathway for autonomous agents to achieve high-level goals consistently without the need for frequent retraining. This adaptability is crucial for applications in dynamic environments where conditions and objectives can change rapidly. Potential real-world applications include:

• Gaming: Enhancing AI opponents in complex strategy games, making them more adaptable and challenging for human players.
• Programming: Assisting developers by breaking down broad project goals into manageable tasks, improving productivity and project management.
• Business and Finance: Optimizing decision-making processes in scenarios like stock trading or auction-based marketplaces, leading to better financial outcomes.

Conclusion: A New Horizon for Autonomous Agents

SELFGOAL represents a significant advancement in the field of autonomous language agents, providing a robust framework for achieving high-level goals through adaptive, hierarchical decomposition. By leveraging the prior knowledge of LLMs and continuously refining subgoals based on environmental feedback, SELFGOAL ensures that agents remain aligned with their primary objectives, navigating complex tasks with precision and adaptability.

As AI continues to evolve, frameworks like SELFGOAL will be instrumental in pushing the boundaries of what autonomous agents can achieve, opening new horizons for innovation and application across various domains.

Feel free to explore the detailed workings of SELFGOAL and its extensive experimental results on the project page.