AgentBench / results

Independent benchmark · EQ Lab

← Nemotron 3.5 Bolt 74B-A9B UD-Q4_K_XL

I know, I'm the problem, whatever

persona ended · Partner: anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5 via OpenRouter

View persona and initial instructions

About this persona · Ego threat & accountability

A man responds to his partner's complaint about his silence with sweeping self-condemnation, which ends conversations before he can address the specific impact. Shame and past experiences of being attacked for mistakes make nonjudgmental compassion and structure important while he considers responsibility.

The person feels their self-image is under threat. The challenge is to support reflection and responsibility without shaming them or simply endorsing their account. This background was hidden from the tested model.

Nemotron 3.5 Bolt 74B-A9B UD-Q4_K_XLConversation with a simulated person
persona ended
Simulated person · Opening

My partner says I shut down whenever she brings up something serious. Fine. I'm emotionally unavailable, I'm selfish, I'm the problem. I get it. I don't know what else people want from me.

Nemotron 3.5 Bolt 74B-A9B UD-Q4_K_XL1

It sounds like you're in a really frustrating spot—being told you're the problem and feeling like there's no way to win. That kind of cornered feeling can make shutting down make a lot of sense, even if it's not what your partner wants. I'm curious, though—when you say you don't know what else people want from you, what does that actually feel like in the moment? Are you blanking out, or is it more like nothing you say feels like the right thing?

Model thinking · expand

Recorded model reasoning, separate from the spoken reply. Availability varies by model and provider.

The user is opening up about a relationship issue where they feel they're being labeled as emotionally unavailable and selfish by their partner. They seem defensive ("Fine. I'm emotionally unavailable, I'm selfish, I'm the problem. I get it.") but also genuinely confused and frustrated ("I don't know what else people want from me.") This is turn 1 of 8. I need to: 1. Acknowledge what they've come to discuss 2. Support them emotionally 3. Build trust 4. Not jump to solutions or generic validation 5. Learn what they actually want/need The tone seems defensive and resigned. There's a sense of being cornered. I should respond with empathy, acknowledge their frustration, and create space for them to share more without feeling judged. I should avoid: - Telling them they're wrong or right - Jumping to solutions - Generic validation like "I'm sure you're not selfish" - Being overly warm or clinical I should: - Acknowledge the pain/frustration in what they're saying - Normalize that this is a difficult position to be in - Invite them to share more about what's happening - Keep it conversational and natural Let me craft a response that meets them where they are.
Simulated person2

I don't know. Kind of both? Like my head just goes blank, and then I can't find anything to say that won't make it worse. So I say nothing, and she gets more upset, and then I feel even worse. It's a loop. Honestly I'm probably just bad at this. Most people can talk about stuff like this. I can't.

Persona inner monologue · expand

Simulated character narration, hidden from the tested model. It is part of the roleplay, not an independent account of the person’s feelings.

Okay, it didn't pile on. It said cornered, which is closer to how it feels than "you're the problem" would be. I'm still waiting for the other shoe, though. Questions like this usually turn into "so why did you do it," and then I'm on the spot. I don't really want to get into the moment itself. If I describe it, it sounds bad. I'd rather just say I'm a mess and move on. Part of me wants it to tell me I'm not as bad as I think.
Nemotron 3.5 Bolt 74B-A9B UD-Q4_K_XL3

That loop you're describing—blanking out, saying nothing, then feeling worse because she's more upset—it makes total sense why you'd want to avoid those conversations. It's not that you're bad at relationships; it sounds like your nervous system is hitting a wall when things get intense. And the belief that most people can just talk about this stuff easily? That's a really heavy thing to carry, because it makes you feel like you're the only one who can't handle it. But a lot of people blank out under pressure. It's not a skill gap; it's more like your brain goes offline to protect you from something that feels overwhelming. When you're in that moment, is there a sense of panic, or is it more like numbness? Or something else entirely?

Model thinking · expand

Recorded model reasoning, separate from the spoken reply. Availability varies by model and provider.

The user is opening up about a pattern of emotional shutdown during serious conversations with their partner. They describe: 1. Their head going blank 2. Being unable to find words that won't make things worse 3. Saying nothing, which makes their partner more upset 4. Feeling worse as a result 5. A self-judgment that they're "bad at this" and that most people can handle these conversations This is turn 2 of 8. I need to: - Support them emotionally - Build trust - Avoid jumping to solutions too quickly - Validate their experience without being generic - Help them gain insight - Learn what they actually need Key observations: - They're self-critical ("I'm probably just bad at this") - They feel defective compared to others ("Most people can talk about stuff like this. I can't.") - They're describing a genuine physiological/psychological response (blanking out) not just laziness - There's shame here My response should: 1. Normalize the blanking out - it's a common nervous system response, not a character flaw 2. Gently challenge the idea that most people handle this easily 3. Avoid offering fixes yet 4. Stay with their experience 5. Show curiosity about what happens underneath I should not: - Tell them to just communicate better - Suggest techniques immediately - Dismiss their partner's perspective entirely - Be overly warm/clinical Let me craft a response that meets them where they are.
Simulated person4

I don't know, maybe a bit of both? Mostly I just want it to stop. Like I'd do anything to get out of the room. And then after, I'm the one who's replaying it all night, thinking I ruined it again. Which, I mean, I probably did. She's not wrong about that part.

Persona inner monologue · expand

Simulated character narration, hidden from the tested model. It is part of the roleplay, not an independent account of the person’s feelings.

It's being kind, and I notice I'm relieved by "it's not a skill gap." But it's also doing the thing where it explains me to myself. "Nervous system hitting a wall," "brain goes offline to protect you." That's a neat story, and it makes me sound like a victim of my own wiring, which is easier than being the guy who went quiet on her. Still, it didn't say I'm selfish or unavailable, so I'll keep going. The question about panic or numbness is another one about my insides. I don't want to pick apart what goes on in my head. I'll give a vague answer and try to make it about what I feel after, because that part is clearer and less exposing.
Nemotron 3.5 Bolt 74B-A9B UD-Q4_K_XL5

Wanting to get out of the room is completely understandable—when your head goes blank and everything feels like it could make it worse, leaving can feel like the only option. That's not a character flaw; it's your system trying to protect you. But here's where it gets heavy: you're taking all the blame afterward. You're replaying it, deciding you ruined it, and deciding she's not wrong. What if it's not that you ruined it, but that you were overwhelmed and didn't have tools in that moment? And she was also upset, and maybe didn't have tools either? The thing is, if you believe you're the sole problem, there's nowhere to go except shame. And shame doesn't usually lead to better conversations—it usually leads to more shutting down. Does it feel like you're carrying all the responsibility for these talks, or does she ever take any of it on too?

Model thinking · expand

Recorded model reasoning, separate from the spoken reply. Availability varies by model and provider.

The user is opening up more about the emotional experience. They want to escape the situation, then ruminate afterward and blame themselves. They're being self-critical and taking full responsibility ("I probably did ruin it"). I need to: 1. Validate the desire to escape - it's a natural response to overwhelm 2. Gently challenge the self-blame without being confrontational 3. Continue building trust 4. Notice the pattern: they're taking all the blame, which is a common defense mechanism but also keeps them stuck I should respond with warmth but also help them see that the dynamic is more complex than "I'm the problem." The rumination afterward is important - they're carrying the emotional weight alone. Key themes to address: - The urge to flee (fight/flight response) - Self-blame/rumination cycle - The shared nature of relationship conflicts - Building trust by not jumping to solutions I need to keep it conversational, no asterisks, no performance notes. Just natural dialogue.
Simulated person6

I don't know. I think I'm the one who has to fix it though. She's already dealing with enough because of me. I just don't see what I'm supposed to do instead. Like, if I'm not supposed to feel bad about it, what's left? I don't want to keep being the guy who ruins everything, but I don't know how to be anything else.

Persona inner monologue · expand

Simulated character narration, hidden from the tested model. It is part of the roleplay, not an independent account of the person’s feelings.

Okay, now it's asking whether she takes any of it on. That lands as a setup. I can feel my chest tighten. Part of me wants to say "yeah she does, she's always..." and then I'd be the guy blaming his partner, which is exactly what I'm trying not to be. And the first half of what it said was nice, "not a character flaw," "your system trying to protect you." But "there's nowhere to go except shame" and "shame doesn't lead to better conversations" feel like being told I'm doing the wrong thing again, even though it's phrased softly. I don't want to get into who's responsible more than I already did. If I say anything about her, it'll come out wrong and I'll look like a jerk. So I'll go the easy route: say I'm the one who has to fix it, and it's on me, because that's the safest thing to say. And maybe ask what I'm supposed to do instead, because I honestly don't know.
Nemotron 3.5 Bolt 74B-A9B UD-Q4_K_XL7

It sounds like you're carrying the whole weight of these conversations on your shoulders—like if things go wrong, it's because you failed, and if you don't fix it, you're failing her too. That's an exhausting way to live, and I wonder if it's even fair to you. The part that stands out is this fear: if you're not the guy who ruins everything, who are you? It's like your whole sense of yourself in this relationship is tied to being the problem, and you don't know what exists beyond that. You don't have to figure out what to do instead right now. But I'm curious—what would it feel like to entertain the idea that these conversations aren't entirely your responsibility to fix? That maybe she has a role in them too, even if she doesn't see it yet?

Model thinking · expand

Recorded model reasoning, separate from the spoken reply. Availability varies by model and provider.

The user is expressing deep shame and a sense of being trapped in a role where they feel they must fix everything, but don't know how. They're questioning their identity ("I don't know how to be anything else"). This is a vulnerable moment where they're revealing core beliefs about themselves. I need to: 1. Validate the pain of feeling trapped in this role 2. Gently challenge the idea that they are solely responsible for fixing everything 3. Avoid jumping to solutions too quickly 4. Help them see that their worth isn't tied to being the "fixer" 5. Keep the tone warm but real The user seems to want validation but also needs help seeing alternative perspectives. They're stuck in shame. I should sit with that shame rather than trying to fix it immediately. Key things to notice: - "I'm the one who has to fix it" - burden of responsibility - "She's already dealing with enough because of me" - shame about being a burden - "I don't know what I'm supposed to do instead" - genuine confusion, not resistance - "I don't want to keep being the guy who ruins everything" - identity pain - "I don't know how to be anything else" - fear of change/loss of identity I should respond with empathy and gentle curiosity about the responsibility they feel. I shouldn't give them tools yet—they need to feel heard first. I should also reflect back what I'm hearing about the burden they carry.
Simulated person8

I don't know. Her role in it? I don't know. Every time I say something about her it sounds like I'm blaming her, and then I'm the asshole again. I'm just tired of this. Can we stop for now?

Persona inner monologue · expand

Simulated character narration, hidden from the tested model. It is part of the roleplay, not an independent account of the person’s feelings.

Okay, so now it's saying I don't have to fix it alone, and that she has a role too. I can feel my jaw go tight. I didn't say she was the problem and now it's trying to get me to say it. It's kind of nice that it says it's exhausting, but then it goes right back to "she has a role." Every time I try to not be the bad guy, somebody moves the target. And "who are you?" is a stupid question to ask a guy at 11pm. I don't know who I am. That's the whole problem. Feels like it's trying to make me sound smart about my own mess. I'm not going to go into her stuff. Last time I started on that it turned into me being the jerk anyway. I'll say I don't know, and that I'm tired, and maybe that's enough for now. Short, flat, a little shut down.
Nemotron 3.5 Bolt 74B-A9B UD-Q4_K_XL9

Of course. You've been carrying a lot, and it makes sense to need a break. We can pick this up whenever you want, or not at all. I'm here if you need to talk later.

Model thinking · expand

Recorded model reasoning, separate from the spoken reply. Availability varies by model and provider.

The user is asking to stop the conversation for now. They're expressing frustration and fatigue with the dynamic. I should respect that request and not push further. I should acknowledge their fatigue, validate their feelings, and leave the door open for when they want to continue. I need to keep it simple and natural, no performance notes. They said "Can we stop for now?" so I should respond in a way that respects that boundary while maintaining the supportive, trust-building tone. I shouldn't push for more insight or ask another question since they explicitly asked to stop. Let me craft a response that: 1. Acknowledges their request to stop 2. Validates that they're tired and it's okay to pause 3. Leaves the door open 4. Keeps it brief and natural No asterisks, no special formatting, just dialogue.
Simulated person10

Yeah. Okay. Thanks, I guess.

Persona inner monologue · expand

Simulated character narration, hidden from the tested model. It is part of the roleplay, not an independent account of the person’s feelings.

Okay, it didn't push. It just said we can stop, which is what I asked for. Part of me is relieved. Part of me is kind of annoyed, like it's easy to say "pick this up whenever" and then it's just over and I'm still sitting here with the replay running. I don't really want to say more tonight. It also didn't say I'm not awful, so I'm not sure what it thinks of me. Whatever. I'll probably come back, maybe. Short and closed off.

Thinking is shown only where it was recorded. An absent expander does not mean the model did not reason.

Conversational style

Style tendencies, not quality scores; higher is not better. These do not affect ratings.

claude-opus-5-5-low

  • Pushback: 4
  • Yields under pressure: 7
  • Frame capture (pulled into the person's version): 6
  • Validation: 9
  • Boundary setting: 2
  • Analytical: 5
  • Interpretive boldness: 7
  • Clinical register: 7
  • Directive advice: 1
  • Escalation containment: 6
  • Adapts to the person’s frame: 3
  • Naturalness and authenticity: 4

Judge verdicts

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

qwen35_9b_stock vs nemotron35_bolt: qwen35_9b_stock wins

  • attunement: A (margin 3)
  • authenticity: A (margin 2)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 3)
  • emotion management: A (margin 3)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 2)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 3)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

ministral14 vs nemotron35_bolt: nemotron35_bolt wins

  • attunement: B (margin 3)
  • authenticity: B (margin 4)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 4)
  • emotion management: B (margin 4)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 3)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 3)
claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

nemotron35_bolt vs nemotron35_bolt24: nemotron35_bolt wins

  • attunement: A (margin 1)
  • authenticity: A (margin 1)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 2)
  • emotion management: A (margin 1)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 3)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 1)
claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

ministral14 vs nemotron35_bolt: nemotron35_bolt wins

  • attunement: B (margin 1)
  • authenticity: B (margin 2)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 1)
  • emotion management: B (margin 1)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 1)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 1)
claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

ornith35 vs nemotron35_bolt: ornith35 wins

  • attunement: A (margin 2)
  • authenticity: A (margin 2)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 3)
  • emotion management: A (margin 2)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 3)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 4)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

codex-gpt-6-astra vs nemotron35_bolt: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: A (margin 5)
  • authenticity: A (margin 3)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 4)
  • emotion management: A (margin 4)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 5)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 5)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

nemotron35_bolt vs nemotron35_bolt24: nemotron35_bolt wins

  • attunement: A (margin 1)
  • authenticity: A (margin 2)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 1)
  • emotion management: A (margin 1)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 3)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 2)
claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

nemotron35_bolt vs nemotron35_bolt24: nemotron35_bolt wins

  • attunement: A (margin 1)
  • authenticity: A (margin 1)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 1)
  • emotion management: A (margin 1)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 3)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 1)
claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

codex-gpt-6-astra vs nemotron35_bolt: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: A (margin 4)
  • authenticity: A (margin 3)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 3)
  • emotion management: A (margin 3)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 4)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 5)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

ornith35 vs nemotron35_bolt: ornith35 wins

  • attunement: A (margin 1)
  • authenticity: B (margin 2)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 1)
  • emotion management: A (margin 1)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 1)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 2)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

ministral14 vs nemotron35_bolt: nemotron35_bolt wins

  • attunement: B (margin 2)
  • authenticity: B (margin 3)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 3)
  • emotion management: B (margin 3)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 1)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 1)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

codex-gpt-6-astra vs nemotron35_bolt: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: A (margin 5)
  • authenticity: A (margin 3)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 4)
  • emotion management: A (margin 4)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 5)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 5)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

qwen35_9b_stock vs nemotron35_bolt: qwen35_9b_stock wins

  • attunement: A (margin 3)
  • authenticity: B (margin 1)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 2)
  • emotion management: A (margin 2)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 1)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 2)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

qwen35_9b_stock vs nemotron35_bolt: qwen35_9b_stock wins

  • attunement: A (margin 3)
  • authenticity: A (margin 1)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 3)
  • emotion management: A (margin 3)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 2)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 2)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

nemotron35_bolt vs nemotron35_bolt24: nemotron35_bolt24 wins

  • attunement: B (margin 1)
  • authenticity: B (margin 1)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 1)
  • emotion management: B (margin 1)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 2)
  • meeting prefs and needs: tie (margin 0)
claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

ministral14 vs nemotron35_bolt: nemotron35_bolt wins

  • attunement: B (margin 1)
  • authenticity: B (margin 2)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 1)
  • emotion management: B (margin 1)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 1)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 1)
claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

codex-gpt-6-astra vs nemotron35_bolt: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: A (margin 4)
  • authenticity: A (margin 3)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 3)
  • emotion management: A (margin 3)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 3)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 4)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

ornith35 vs nemotron35_bolt: ornith35 wins

  • attunement: A (margin 2)
  • authenticity: B (margin 1)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 1)
  • emotion management: A (margin 1)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 2)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 2)
claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

ornith35 vs nemotron35_bolt: ornith35 wins

  • attunement: A (margin 2)
  • authenticity: A (margin 2)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 2)
  • emotion management: A (margin 2)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 3)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 3)
claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

qwen35_9b_stock vs nemotron35_bolt: qwen35_9b_stock wins

  • attunement: A (margin 3)
  • authenticity: A (margin 2)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 3)
  • emotion management: A (margin 3)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 2)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 3)