Inserting a 'Wait a minute!!' improves AI reasoning accuracy. It's the same for humans, isn't it?

OpenAI's Deep Research. It seems amazing. Information that used to take hours to gather can now be obtained in just a few minutes.

If this sense of speed becomes the standard, I worry these days that we humans will also be increasingly required to make decisions at speed—it makes me anxious.

"If I don't decide now, it'll be too late"
"Don't think, just act!"

In this modern age where this atmosphere has become the norm, I found a study that says AI can dramatically improve its logical thinking just by "waiting" a little.

I thought this might also apply to us humans, so I'd like to think about it this time.

1. "Speed Supremacy" is a pitfall that both AI and humans fall into

Is competing for speed really intelligence?

The team at Stanford University that conducted the research answers that question. They tried a simple approach of
deliberately delaying the reasoning of Large Language Models (LLMs).

• Intentionally inserting a "Wait (Hold on...?)" token into AI reasoning

• Not letting it give an answer in a hurry, but “forcing” it to think a little more

• As a result, with low training costs, it outperformed GPT o1 in math and logic tasks

By just pausing for a moment to say "Wait?", AI begins to reason more deeply. This is very similar to the effect of "calming down and thinking again" for humans, isn't it?

💡INSIGHT: Instead of "speed = intelligence", "taking the necessary time = intelligence" may be the case.

2. The power of the "pause" that also applies to us humans

⏳ Depth over speed

In modern society, scenes like the following are overflowing in our daily lives, aren't they?

• Immediate replies to emails and LINE messages

• Being forced to make important decisions on the spot

• Actions that feel like a mental shutdown caused by impatience

However, humans might also need to adopt a 'Wait a second' approach.

💡INSIGHT: Just as AI is improved by a 'pause,' humans can also make more accurate decisions just by taking 30 seconds to think.

3. The value of the power to 'wait' as seen in the Marshmallow Test

The 'Marshmallow Test' is a famous experiment conducted by psychologist Walter Mischel in the 1960s.

• A child is given one marshmallow and told, 'If you wait 15 minutes, I will give you another one.'

• The child chooses between 'eating one right now' or 'waiting to get a second one.'

In subsequent follow-up studies, it was reported that children who were able to wait tended to have higher academic performance and social skills. That is the one.

🍬 Why does the 'power to wait' affect the future?

1. Ability to control impulses

   • Strengthens the ability to discipline oneself without giving in to immediate desires.

2. Habit of having a long-term perspective

   • Learns that enduring temporary hardship leads to greater returns.

3. Improvement in self-efficacy

   • The confidence that 'I can endure' encourages the next challenge.

💡INSIGHT: Prioritizing speed or impulsive judgment is not always best, and the act of 'waiting' may allow one to gain a long-term perspective.

4. Two thinking systems discussed in 'Thinking, Fast and Slow'

📖 Daniel Kahneman's theory

Nobel Prize-winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman divided human thinking into two main systems in his book 'Thinking, Fast and Slow'.

• System 1: Makes intuitive and fast judgments.

• System 2: The power to think deeply and analyze
  👉 For complex problems and important decisions, a pause to activate System 2 is essential

💡INSIGHT: Relying solely on instant intuition (System 1) makes one prone to emotional bias, which often leads to mistakes and poor judgment.

5. 5 actions you can take starting today

1. Add a buffer to LINE and email replies ⏰

   • When you feel like you 'have to reply immediately,' set it aside for a moment.

2. Utilize the 'draft' feature on SNS and note 👀

   • Just by making it a habit to save as a draft and review it the next morning, you can reduce impulsive posts.

3. No-immediate-decision rule 🙅‍♂️

   • For important decisions, ask to 'sleep on it' before reconsidering.

4. Manage your 'thinking space' digitally 🗂

   • Like AI, humans find it easier to review things when the 'reasoning' process and the 'conclusion' are separated.

   • Using memo apps to dump your thoughts all at once or using mind maps is also effective.

5. Enjoying the act of 'waiting' itself 🧘

   • Conscious routines such as meditation, mindfulness, journaling, or a morning shower lead to securing time dedicated to deep thinking.

Summary: The power to wait changes the future

It is not just for large language models; for humans, speed is not everything. The 'Wait' (Wait, let me think...?) produces deep insight and accurate judgment—this really resonated with me.

Aim for a 'better answer,' even if it's not 'right now.'

To start, I would like to incorporate time at the beginning and end of each day to carefully organize my thoughts.

Reference: https://medium.com/ai-advances/the-ai-ohhhm-moment-6c4855b82d27

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