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Tree of Thoughts: Deliberate Problem Solving with Large Language Models (2305.10601v2)

Published 17 May 2023 in cs.CL, cs.AI, and cs.LG

Abstract: LLMs are increasingly being deployed for general problem solving across a wide range of tasks, but are still confined to token-level, left-to-right decision-making processes during inference. This means they can fall short in tasks that require exploration, strategic lookahead, or where initial decisions play a pivotal role. To surmount these challenges, we introduce a new framework for LLM inference, Tree of Thoughts (ToT), which generalizes over the popular Chain of Thought approach to prompting LLMs, and enables exploration over coherent units of text (thoughts) that serve as intermediate steps toward problem solving. ToT allows LMs to perform deliberate decision making by considering multiple different reasoning paths and self-evaluating choices to decide the next course of action, as well as looking ahead or backtracking when necessary to make global choices. Our experiments show that ToT significantly enhances LLMs' problem-solving abilities on three novel tasks requiring non-trivial planning or search: Game of 24, Creative Writing, and Mini Crosswords. For instance, in Game of 24, while GPT-4 with chain-of-thought prompting only solved 4% of tasks, our method achieved a success rate of 74%. Code repo with all prompts: https://github.com/princeton-nlp/tree-of-thought-LLM.

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Citations (1,229)
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Summary

  • The paper demonstrates that leveraging the Tree of Thoughts framework enables LLMs to explore multiple reasoning paths, significantly enhancing problem-solving abilities.
  • It introduces a novel methodology combining thought decomposition, generation, and evaluation with search algorithms like BFS and DFS.
  • Empirical results from tasks such as the Game of 24, creative writing, and mini crosswords validate the framework’s superior performance over traditional prompting techniques.

Enhancing Generative AI Problem-Solving with Tree of Thoughts (ToT)

Introduction

LLMs have advanced significantly, showing capabilities beyond simple text generation to include problem-solving across various domains. However, their generative process, rooted in token-level decision making, limits their performance in tasks demanding strategic reasoning, exploration, or look-ahead functionalities. To address these limitations, we discuss the "Tree of Thoughts" (ToT) framework, which extends the "Chain of Thought" (CoT) prompting approach, allowing for more sophisticated decision-making processes by exploring and evaluating multiple reasoning paths.

Background on LLM Problem Solving

Existing LLM problem-solving methods primarily utilize Input-Output (IO) prompting, CoT prompting, and Self-consistency with CoT (CoT-SC). These methods, while effective for a range of tasks, are constrained by their linear and single-path nature, limiting their ability to handle tasks requiring complex reasoning or search strategies. The introduction of the ToT framework seeks to expand the LLM's problem-solving toolkit by enabling a more nuanced exploration of potential solutions through a structured search process.

The Tree of Thoughts (ToT) Framework

The ToT framework represents a novel approach to LLM inference by structuring the reasoning process as a search over a tree of possible solutions, where each node—a "thought"—represents a coherent language sequence leading towards problem resolution. This structure allows the LLM to evaluate and choose from multiple paths, akin to human problem-solving processes that involve exploratory search and strategic planning. Key components of ToT include:

  • Thought Decomposition: Breaking down the problem-solving process into discrete steps that facilitate generation, evaluation, and selection.
  • Thought Generation and Evaluation: Mechanisms for proposing and assessing the viability of different thoughts or paths, leveraging the LLM's generative capabilities.
  • Search Algorithms: The application of search algorithms like BFS and DFS within the ToT framework, allowing systematic exploration and evaluation of the thought tree.

Empirical Exploration

We validate the ToT framework through experiments on three novel tasks designed to test the limits of current LLM problem-solving abilities: the Game of 24, Creative Writing, and Mini Crosswords. The results demonstrate that ToT significantly outperforms existing methods like IO prompting and CoT, showcasing its potential for enhancing LLM problem-solving across tasks that require complex reasoning, planning, and search strategies.

Implications and Future Directions

The introduction of ToT opens new avenues for LLM research, emphasizing the importance of structured reasoning and strategic search in problem-solving. It highlights a path towards integrating traditional AI search methods with the generative capabilities of LLMs, offering a richer toolkit for tackling complex problems. Future work could extend the ToT framework in several directions, including optimizing search algorithms for efficiency, exploring dynamic thought generation strategies, and applying ToT in domains requiring external knowledge or real-time interaction.

Conclusion

ToT represents a significant step forward in the application of LLMs for problem-solving, offering a structured and systematic approach to explore multiple reasoning paths. By enabling deliberate decision-making and strategic planning, ToT broadens the scope of tasks that LLMs can effectively address, paving the way for more sophisticated AI-assisted problem-solving capabilities.

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  1. [2305.10601] Tree of Thoughts: Deliberate Problem Solving with Large Language Models (1 point, 1 comment)