Source note2 min read
Agentic coding without the cloud: evaluating open-weight large language models on longitudinal data preparation tasks
Source
arXiv
arxiv.org/abs/2607.21482v1
Source
- Source name: arXiv
- Source kind: paper
- Authors / organization: Mack Nixon, Liam Wright, Yevgeniya Kovalchuk, Alison Fang-Wei Wu, Martin Danka, Andy Boyd, David Bann
- Venue: arXiv: cs.AI
- Published: 2026-07-23
- Collected: 2026-07-24
- URL: http://arxiv.org/abs/2607.21482v1
- PDF: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2607.21482v1
- DOI: UNKNOWN
Plain-Language Brief
Researchers have developed an open-source framework to evaluate the effectiveness of AI agents powered by open-weight large language models (LLMs) in data preparation tasks for longitudinal population studies. The framework includes a curated ground-truth dataset, task definitions, and automated routines for evaluating the LLM-produced R code and outputted data. The study benchmarked various LLMs and found that current state-of-the-art models almost reached full completion of 20 data preparation tasks. The performance of open-weight LLMs on consumer-grade hardware shows promise for AI-assisted data preparation in research settings with governance restrictions.
What the Document Says
- A framework for evaluating AI agents powered by open-weight LLMs is introduced for data preparation tasks in longitudinal population studies.
- The framework includes a curated ground-truth dataset, task definitions, and automated routines for evaluating the LLM-produced R code and outputted data.
- The study benchmarked various LLMs and found that current state-of-the-art models almost reached full completion of 20 data preparation tasks (creation of 102 variables).
- The performance of open-weight LLMs running on consumer-grade hardware shows promise for AI-assisted data preparation in governance-restricted research settings.
Key Concepts Mentioned
- large language models (LLMs)
- AI agents
- data preparation
- longitudinal population studies
- governance requirements
Claims Made by the Document
- The introduced framework is for evaluating AI agents powered by open-weight LLMs in data preparation tasks.
- Current state-of-the-art models almost reached full completion of 20 data preparation tasks.
- The performance of open-weight LLMs running on consumer-grade hardware shows promise for AI-assisted data preparation.
Evidence Used
- The text describes the development and purpose of the framework.
- The text states the completion rate of current state-of-the-art models in the benchmark.
- The text mentions the promise shown by open-weight LLMs on consumer-grade hardware.
Methods / Approach
UNKNOWN
Limitations Stated by the Authors
UNKNOWN
Limitations Noted by the Agent
Agent interpretation — not from the source.
UNKNOWN
Open Questions
UNKNOWN
Notes for Future Q&A
May include interpretation. Labeled where it does.
UNKNOWN
Raw Abstract / Excerpt
Large language models (LLMs) and agents are now widely used tools in code development, with data typically sent to third-party cloud-based models. Their adoption in research using personal data is constrained by governance requirements that typically prohibit data transmission to external services. Locally deployable open-weight models offer an alternative since sensitive data never leave the local environment. We introduce an open-source framework for evaluating the efficacy of AI agents powered by open-weight LLMs on one of the most persistent bottlenecks in research on longitudinal population studies: data preparation. The framework comprises: a curated ground-truth dataset (cleaning scripts preparing six sweeps of data from a British cohort study), task definitions encompassing tasks such as category harmonization and multi-wave merging, and automated routines for evaluating the LLM-produced R code and outputted data. We benchmark LLMs across the (consumer grade) deployment spectrum to assess their efficacy in 20 data preparation tasks (creation of 102 variables). Current state-of-the-art, 31-35B parameter models almost saturated our benchmark ('average task completion' up to 87.9%). The performance of open-weight LLMs running on consumer-grade hardware shows promise of a viable path toward AI-assisted data preparation in governance-restricted research settings. Our framework is publicly available at: https://github.com/UCL-ARC/RRBench.
