From AutoRecSys to AutoRecLab: A Call to Build, Evaluate, and Govern Autonomous Recommender-Systems Research Labs

Abstract

Recommender-systems research has accelerated model and evaluation advances, yet largely neglects automating the research process itself. We argue for a shift from narrow AutoRecSys tools -- focused on algorithm selection and hyper-parameter tuning -- to an Autonomous Recommender-Systems Research Lab (AutoRecLab) that integrates end-to-end automation: problem ideation, literature analysis, experimental design and execution, result interpretation, manuscript drafting, and provenance logging. Drawing on recent progress in automated science (e.g., multi-agent AI Scientist and AI Co-Scientist systems), we outline an agenda for the RecSys community: (1) build open AutoRecLab prototypes that combine LLM-driven ideation and reporting with automated experimentation; (2) establish benchmarks and competitions that evaluate agents on producing reproducible RecSys findings with minimal human input; (3) create review venues for transparently AI-generated submissions; (4) define standards for attribution and reproducibility via detailed research logs and metadata; and (5) foster interdisciplinary dialogue on ethics, governance, privacy, and fairness in autonomous research. Advancing this agenda can increase research throughput, surface non-obvious insights, and position RecSys to contribute to emerging Artificial Research Intelligence. We conclude with a call to organise a community retreat to coordinate next steps and co-author guidance for the responsible integration of automated research systems.