CoT — Chain of Thought
Definition: A prompting technique that asks a model to reason step by step before answering. Cheap to apply, often dramatic accuracy lifts on multi-step problems — and the foundation of modern reasoning models.
Example
Adding "think step by step" to the prompt lifted math accuracy from 41% to 74% with no model change.
When you'll hear it
CoT shows up most often in AI strategy reviews, model evaluation discussions, and product roadmap meetings. When someone uses it, they're usually referring to chain of thought — and they expect the room to already know what that means.
FAQs
What does CoT stand for?
CoT stands for Chain of Thought.
What does CoT mean in AI and machine-learning?
A prompting technique that asks a model to reason step by step before answering. Cheap to apply, often dramatic accuracy lifts on multi-step problems — and the foundation of modern reasoning models.
Where will I hear CoT used at work?
CoT comes up most often in AI strategy reviews, model evaluation discussions, and product roadmap meetings. It's used as shorthand for chain of thought, so people assume you already know the term.