What are reasoning models like o1 and R1?

They're LLMs trained via RL to generate long chain-of-thought traces at inference, boosting multi-step tasks like math and code without bigger pre-training.

How do reasoning models compare to GPT-4o?

On AIME 2024, o1/R1 score 70-74% vs. 9%—massive leap from using inference compute productively.

Will reasoning models replace traditional scaling?

Not fully—they enhance it, shifting focus to cheaper inference optimization over endless pre-training.

🤖 AI Dev Tools

Reasoning Models: AI Finally Learns to Think Before It Answers

Your calculator just got a brain upgrade. Reasoning models like o1 and R1 don't just spit answers—they ponder, correct mistakes, and crush math benchmarks humans envy.

theAIcatchup Apr 10, 2026 3 min read

AI brain generating step-by-step reasoning chain on a complex math problem

⚡ Key Takeaways

Reasoning models scale inference compute, matching big-training gains cheaper and faster. 𝕏
RL trains emergent strategies like self-correction, turning AI into true thinkers. 𝕏
DeepSeek R1 open-sources the recipe, accelerating industry-wide adoption. 𝕏

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#DeepSeek R1 #OpenAI o1 #chain-of-thought #inference scaling #reasoning models

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