The paper sets a 6-level scale for data agents and explains the path to autonomy.

It uses L0 to L5 to show who is responsible, the human or the agent.

The term data agent is fuzzy, which confuses ability, risk, and accountability.

A data agent is an LLM system that uses data and tools for management, preparation, and analysis.

L0 is manual, L1 helps single steps, and L2 runs procedures with tools.

L3 plans full pipelines under supervision, L4 runs alone, and L5 invents methods.

Most systems they review sit at L1 or L2.

The hard leap is L2 to L3, from fixed workflows to end to end planning and optimization.

Main blockers are fixed operators, narrow scope across the data lifecycle, shallow strategy, and weak adaptation.

The payoff is a shared language that sets expectations and guides honest progress.

Representative Data Agents Across Different Levels.

Paper – arxiv. org/abs/2510.23587

Paper Title: "A Survey of Data Agents: Emerging Paradigm or Overstated Hype?"