I've been using Claude for a couple of weeks primarily for logical analysis and editing my writing, and I find it pretty handy! However, I'm a bit confused about what 'extended thinking' actually does. I hear some users say it can lead to 'hallucinations' in the AI, and turning it off might fix that. Is extended thinking just like a smarter version of the model, or does it operate differently when activated? Should I use it all the time, or only for certain tasks, especially since I'm not worried about hitting usage limits? I'd love to hear your insights!
3 Answers
Anthropic's guidelines suggest using extended thinking for planning and complex problem-solving. It’s great for when you need to think deeply before diving into a task. Just remember, if you use it for simple tasks, it might lead to more hallucinations because the model has more space to get creative and possibly confused!
I find extended thinking particularly helpful when I’m unsure how to tackle a complex task. If you have the perfect prompt, it might not matter, but when you're figuring things out, it helps the model pause and think about what you're really looking for, not just what's written in your prompt.
Extended thinking is all about taking a moment to provide a well-considered response instead of just spitting out the first answer that comes to mind. It's like the difference between an off-the-cuff reply and taking a little time—say 30 seconds to 5 minutes—to really think things through before answering.
Absolutely! It's the cool-down period that can lead to a more thoughtful and nuanced answer.