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arXiv · 2504.01990

Advances and Challenges in Foundation Agents: From Brain-Inspired Intelligence to Evolutionary, Collaborative, and Safe Systems

Bang Liu·Xinfeng Li·Jiayi Zhang·Jinlin Wang·Tanjin He·Sirui Hong·Hongzhang Liu·Shaokun Zhang·Kaitao Song·Kunlun Zhu·Yuheng Cheng·Suyuchen Wang·Xiaoqiang Wang·Yuyu Luo·Haibo Jin·Peiyan Zhang·Ollie Liu·Jiaqi Chen·Huan Zhang·Zhaoyang Yu·Haochen Shi·Boyan Li·Dekun Wu·Fengwei Teng·Xiaojun Jia·Jiawei Xu·Jinyu Xiang·Yizhang Lin·Tianming Liu·Tongliang Liu·Yu Su·Huan Sun·Glen Berseth·Jianyun Nie·Ian Foster·Logan Ward·Qingyun Wu·Yu Gu·Mingchen Zhuge·Xinbing Liang·Xiangru Tang·Haohan Wang·Jiaxuan You·Chi Wang·Jian Pei·Qiang Yang·Xiaoliang Qi·Chenglin Wu
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Abstract

The advent of large language models (LLMs) has catalyzed a transformative shift in artificial intelligence, paving the way for advanced intelligent agents capable of sophisticated reasoning, robust perception, and versatile action across diverse domains. As these agents increasingly drive AI research and practical applications, their design, evaluation, and continuous improvement present intricate, multifaceted challenges. This book provides a comprehensive overview, framing intelligent agents within modular, brain-inspired architectures that integrate principles from cognitive science, neuroscience, and computational research. We structure our exploration into four interconnected parts. First, we systematically investigate the modular foundation of intelligent agents, systematically mapping their cognitive, perceptual, and operational modules onto analogous human brain functionalities and elucidating core components such as memory, world modeling, reward processing, goal, and emotion. Second, we discuss self-enhancement and adaptive evolution mechanisms, exploring how agents autonomously refine their capabilities, adapt to dynamic environments, and achieve continual learning through automated optimization paradigms. Third, we examine multi-agent systems, investigating the collective intelligence emerging from agent interactions, cooperation, and societal structures. Finally, we address the critical imperative of building safe and beneficial AI systems, emphasizing intrinsic and extrinsic security threats, ethical alignment, robustness, and practical mitigation strategies necessary for trustworthy real-world deployment. By synthesizing modular AI architectures with insights from different disciplines, this survey identifies key research challenges and opportunities, encouraging innovations that harmonize technological advancement with meaningful societal benefit.

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Bang Liu, Xinfeng Li, Jiayi Zhang, Jinlin Wang, Tanjin He, Sirui Hong, Hongzhang Liu, Shaokun Zhang, Kaitao Song, Kunlun Zhu, Yuheng Cheng, Suyuchen Wang, Xiaoqiang Wang, Yuyu Luo, Haibo Jin, Peiyan Zhang, Ollie Liu, Jiaqi Chen, Huan Zhang, Zhaoyang Yu, Haochen Shi, Boyan Li, Dekun Wu, Fengwei Teng, Xiaojun Jia, Jiawei Xu, Jinyu Xiang, Yizhang Lin, Tianming Liu, Tongliang Liu, Yu Su, Huan Sun, Glen Berseth, Jianyun Nie, Ian Foster, Logan Ward, Qingyun Wu, Yu Gu, Mingchen Zhuge, Xinbing Liang, Xiangru Tang, Haohan Wang, Jiaxuan You, Chi Wang, Jian Pei, Qiang Yang, Xiaoliang Qi, Chenglin Wu. 2025-08-02. Advances and Challenges in Foundation Agents: From Brain-Inspired Intelligence to Evolutionary, Collaborative, and Safe Systems. https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.01990

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