5

2 Background

In this section, we ﬁrst discuss the cognitive origins of human tool use and the implications for tool learning
(§ 2.1), followed by a tool categorization through the lens of the user interface (§ 2.2). Then we review the
recent AI paradigm shift brought by foundation models and its signiﬁcance in tool learning (§ 2.3). After that,
we examine the respective roles of specialized tools and foundation models in problem-solving, and discuss
the beneﬁts of their integration (§ 2.4). Finally, we recapitulate existing research and current progress in tool
learning, which are divided into tool-augmented learning and tool-oriented learning (§ 2.5).

2.1 Cognitive Origins of Tool Use

Tools have played a vital role in the long history of thousands of years of human evolution. Tool use is deﬁned
as a unique characteristic of human beings that is distinguished from other species. In this section, we discuss
tool use from the perspective of cognitive science (Von Eckardt, 1995).
Tool Learning with Foundation Models