OpenAI Announces Updated 'Chain of Thought' for o3-mini

OpenAI has announced that it will now reveal a more comprehensive 'chain of thought' when using o3-mini models. The feature is now closer to the way rival DeepSeek R1 displays its thought process.

"We're introducing an updated [chain of thought] for o3-mini designed to make it easier for people to understand how the model thinks," an OpenAI spokesperson told TechCruch via email. "With this update, you will be able to follow the model's reasoning, giving you more clarity and confidence in its responses."




OpenAI says the updated chain of thought will be available in o3-mini for free and paid users, and in o3-mini-high for paid users. Unfortunately, it is not a true chain of thought, but rather a summary. The company says it has 'found a balance' where o3-mini can 'think freely' then organize its 'thoughts' into detailed summaries.

"To improve clarity and safety, we've added an additional post-processing step where the model reviews the raw chain of thought, removing any unsafe content, and then simplifies any complex ideas," the OpenAI spokesperson said. "Additionally, this post-processing step enables non-English users to receive the chain of thought in their native language, creating a more accessible and friendly experience."

You can check out an example 'chain of thought' below...