4 September 2026
AI model capability growth rate doubled after reasoning models emerged
First reported
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- Reasoning models, which work through problems step-by-step like humans do, arrived recently and changed how quickly AI abilities improve.
- The ECI index, a measurement tracking frontier AI performance, grew 14 points per year after reasoning models, compared to 6 points before.
- This acceleration suggests reasoning capability unlocked faster progress across AI systems generally.
How it was covered
Deep Learning WeeklyEditorial team
Data analysis shows the ECI frontier advancing by 14 index points per year since reasoning models arrived, more than double the prior six-point rate.