What are common benchmarks for AI reasoning?

AI reasoning benchmarks are standardized tests designed to evaluate how well models can solve problems, draw logical conclusions, or handle tasks requiring abstract thinking. Three widely recognized benchmarks include the Abstraction and Reasoning Corpus (ARC), the Massive Multitask Language Understanding (MMLU) benchmark, and the BIG-Bench (Beyond the Imitation Game Benchmark). These tests focus on different aspects of reasoning: ARC evaluates pattern recognition and generalization, MMLU measures broad knowledge across disciplines, and BIG-Bench includes diverse tasks like code debugging and logical deduction. Developers use these benchmarks to compare model performance and identify limitations in reasoning capabilities.

For example, the ARC benchmark, created by François Chollet, presents abstract visual puzzles that require identifying underlying rules from a few examples. Unlike many benchmarks that rely on memorization, ARC tests a model’s ability to generalize to entirely new patterns, making it a strong indicator of fluid intelligence. MMLU, developed by researchers including Dan Hendrycks, covers 57 subjects like law, math, and history, testing how well models apply domain-specific knowledge to answer questions. BIG-Bench, a collaborative effort involving hundreds of researchers, includes tasks like translating obscure languages or solving riddles, pushing models to handle ambiguity and complex reasoning. These examples highlight how benchmarks target specific reasoning skills, from logic to real-world knowledge application.

While these benchmarks are useful, they have limitations. For instance, some tasks in BIG-Bench may inadvertently favor models trained on niche datasets, leading to skewed results. ARC’s reliance on visual patterns can disadvantage text-only models unless adapted. Developers often combine multiple benchmarks to get a holistic view—for example, testing math reasoning with GSM8k (grade school math problems) alongside commonsense reasoning with HellaSwag. Critically, benchmarks must evolve to address new challenges, such as avoiding data contamination (where models are trained on test data). By using these tools thoughtfully, developers can better assess and improve AI reasoning in practical scenarios.