What is Power of Chain of Knowledge in Prompt Engineering?

Sahitya Arya Last Updated : 30 Jul, 2024
10 min read

Introduction

Do you know Artificial Intelligence(AI) not only understands your questions but also connects the dots across vast realms of knowledge to provide profound, insightful answers? The Chain of Knowledge is a revolutionary approach in the rapidly advancing fields of AI and natural language processing. This method empowers large language models to tackle complex problems with remarkable depth and precision by guiding AI through a sequence of interconnected facts and ideas. In this article, we will explore how the Chain of Knowledge transforms our interactions with AI, making them more intuitive and enlightening than ever before.

Chain of Knowledge in Prompt Engineering

Overview

  • Chain of Knowledge enhances AI and NLP by using sequences of related facts to tackle complex problems.
  • It builds knowledge step-by-step, providing comprehensive understanding, logical progression, interdisciplinary insights, enhanced problem-solving, and improved explainability.
  • Involves creating prompts that guide AI through structured thinking, breaking down topics into subtopics, and directing analysis to form a comprehensive response.
  • Examples like climate change and historical events show how this method helps AI provide thorough analyses by linking interconnected aspects.
  • Challenges include bias, complexity management, and accuracy. Future advancements may feature dynamic, multi-dimensional, interactive, cross-lingual, and adaptive knowledge chains.

Understanding the Chain of Knowledge

In Artificial Intelligence and Natural Language Processing (NLP), the chain of knowledge has emerged as one of the best techniques in prompt engineering. This technique allows Large Language Models(LLMs) to chain facts, concepts, and logical steps to solve complex problems and offer a more detailed, well-informed answer.

This method effectively handles complex subjects that require a deep understanding. Chain of Knowledge gives AI a framework to build knowledge step-by-step and clearly. It can analyze complicated problems like historical events, explore philosophical debates, or break down difficult scientific concepts and theories.

How does the Chain of Knowledge Work?

The Chain of Knowledge technique deals with complex topics by breaking them down into parts. It starts with simple ideas, then moves step-by-step through new information and relates it to what is known. This creates a chain of linked ideas that the AI can follow to think around a problem or explore a subject. 

It bridges gaps in the chain of argumentation and follows through with logical deduction to well-informed conclusions. This means that AI can approach difficult subjects bit by bit, much as one would in trying to solve a puzzle. Such structured knowledge construction through an AI enables more detailed and thought-through answers, clearly explaining the chain of reasoning by showing how each idea is linked. This is especially useful in analyzing complex issues and deep concepts or breaking down difficult theories into more understandable parts.

Implementing the Chain of Knowledge in Prompt Engineering

Let’s use the OpenAI API with a carefully crafted prompt to demonstrate how to implement the Chain of Knowledge in prompt engineering. 

Here’s an example:

Step 1: Install and Import Dependencies

First, let’s install the necessary library and import the required modules:

!pip install openai --upgrade

Importing libraries

import os

from openai import OpenAI

from IPython.display import display, Markdown

client = OpenAI()  # Make sure to set your API key properly

Setting Api key configuration

os.environ["OPENAI_API_KEY"]= “Your open-API-Key”

Step 2: Creating Our Helper Function

We’ll create a function called generate_responses:

def generate_responses(prompt, n=1):
   """
   Generate responses from the OpenAI API.
   Args:
   - prompt (str): The prompt to be sent to the API.
   - n (int): The number of responses to generate. Default is 1.
   Returns:
   - List[str]: A list of generated responses.
   """
   responses = []
   for _ in range(n):
       response = client.chat.completions.create(
           messages=[
               {
                   "role": "user",
                   "content": prompt,
               }
           ],
           model="gpt-3.5-turbo",
       )
       responses.append(response.choices[0].message.content.strip())
   return responses

This generate_response  function calls the API of ChatGPT-3.5 and generates the response.

  1. It takes two things as input:
    • A question or statement (called a prompt) that we want the model to respond to.
    • A number that tells it how many answers we want (generally  1)
  2. It created an empty list to store the LLM responses or answers.
  3. After getting all the answers, it gives or returns a list of answers.

Step 3: Defining a function (generate_Chain of Knowledge_prompt)

It will create the Chain of Knowledge prompt for our topics:

def generate_Chain of Knowledge_prompt(topic, subtopics):
   prompt = f"""
Topic: {topic}
Using the Chain of Knowledge technique, provide an in-depth analysis of {topic} by exploring the following subtopics in order:
{' '.join([f"{i+1}. {subtopic}" for i, subtopic in enumerate(subtopics)])}
For each subtopic:
1. Provide a brief explanation.
2. Explain how it relates to the previous subtopic(s).
3. Discuss its importance in understanding the main topic.
After covering all subtopics, synthesize the information to provide a comprehensive understanding of {topic}.
Finally, pose three thought-provoking questions that arise from this chain of knowledge.
"""
   return prompt

The generate_Chain of Knowledge_function function builds a detailed prompt that guides the LLM through a chain of knowledge. It takes two inputs: a main topic and a list of subtopics, and then it creates a response that includes:

  1. Main topic 
  2. Instructions for using the chain of knowledge techniques
  3. A numbered list of all the subtopics
  4. Directions for analyzing each subtopic 
  5. Request to connect all the information at the end
  6. Call for three thought-provoking questions

Ultimately, it returns a constructed prompt with all the above material and functionality.

Step 4: Setting up our topic, creating a prompt, and generating analysis

topic = "Climate Change"
subtopics = [
   "Greenhouse Effect",
   "Carbon Emissions",
   "Global Temperature Rise",
   "Sea Level Rise",
   "Extreme Weather Events"
] 
Chain of Knowledge_prompt = generate_Chain of Knowledge_prompt(topic, subtopics)
responses = generate_responses(Chain of Knowledge_prompt)
for i, response in enumerate(responses, 1):
   display(Markdown(f"### Chain of Knowledge Analysis {i}:\n{response}"))

Now, we are ready to use our functions. So let’s understand the above code, what it is doing, and how we are calling our helper functions to get the desired output:

  1. It defines our main topic: “climate change” 
  2. It created a list of subtopics related to climate change. 
    • Greenhouse Effect
    • Carbon emissions
    • Global Temperature Rise
    • Sea Level Rise
    • Extreme weather events
  3. A detailed prompt is created using our generate_Chain of Knowledge_prompt function.
  4. It is also called the generate_response function with our new prompt.

Finally, the code outputs the LLM response and uses a loop to handle multiple responses. Each response is formatted as a Markdown heading and text.

Here’s the Output:

Chain of Knowledge Analysis 1
Chain of Knowledge Analysis 1

As we can see in the output, the Chain of Knowledge analysis breaks down “climate change” into five interconnected aspects:

  1. Greenhouse Effect: The basic mechanism trapping heat in Earth’s atmosphere.
  2. Carbon Emissions: Human-caused release of gases intensifying the greenhouse effect.
  3. Global Temperature Rise: The overall warming trend resulting from the first two factors.
  4. Sea Level Rise: A consequence of warming, causing melting ice and expanding oceans.
  5. Extreme Weather Events: Intensified weather patterns due to these climate changes.

This chain approach helps explain Climate Change from its fundamental causes to its observable effects, demonstrating how each factor builds upon and relates to the others.

Now let’s test this technique for a bit more complex task, like historical analysis. 

In this example, we are going to create a detailed historical analysis.  Our goal in this example is to analyze the cause and consequences of a historical event by breaking it down into several factors. 

Define our Chain of Knowledge helper function to create a prompt suitable for historical analysis or more complex analysis: 

def historical_analysis_Chain of Knowledge(event, factors):
   prompt = f"""
Historical Event: {event}
Using the Chain of Knowledge technique, analyze the causes and consequences of {event} by exploring the following factors in order:
{' '.join([f"{i+1}. {factor}" for i, factor in enumerate(factors)])}
For each factor:
1. Provide a brief explanation of the factor.
2. Explain how it relates to the previous factor(s) in the chain.
3. Discuss its direct and indirect impacts on the {event}.
4. Consider any controversies or debates surrounding this factor's role.
After analyzing all factors:
1. Synthesize the information to provide a comprehensive understanding of the causes and consequences of {event}.
2. Discuss how this chain of factors challenges or supports common historical narratives about {event}.
3. Propose three areas where further historical research could enhance our understanding of this chain of knowledge.
"""
   return prompt

Let’s understand the historical_analysis_chain of Knowledge function:

  1. Functions take two things as input. 
    • A historical event we want to analyze
    • A list of factors related to the event
  2. It creates a prompt that includes the following:
    • The name of the historical event
    • Instructions for using the Chain of Knowledge
    • A numbered list of all the factors
    • It also provides direction for analyzing factors like:
      • Explanation
      • Relation to the previous factor
      • Direct and indirect impact on the event
      • Debates about the factor role
  3. Finally, it returns a completely constructed prompt. 

Let’s call our historical chain function with all the previous helper functions to get the best answer: 

First, 

Define an event: 

event = "The Industrial Revolution"

Now, let’s define factors based on the event ; 

factors = [
   "Agricultural Revolution",
   "Technological Innovations",
   "Urbanization",
   "Economic Systems",
   "Social Changes"
]

Generating historical prompts using generate historical analysis_Chain of Knowledge: 

historical_prompt = historical_analysis_Chain of Knowledge(event, factors)

Getting responses:

historical_responses = generate_responses(historical_prompt)
for i, response in enumerate(historical_responses, 1):
   display(Markdown(f"### Historical Analysis using Chain of Knowledge {i}:\n{response}"))

Here’s the Output:

Historical Analysis using Chain of Knowledge 1
Historical Analysis using Chain of Knowledge 1
Historical Analysis using Chain of Knowledge 1

As mentioned in the output, the Chain of Knowledge analysis breaks down the Industrial Revolution into five interconnected factors:

  1. Agricultural Revolution: Increased food production and population, providing labor for factories.
  2. Technological Innovations: Inventions like the steam engine revolutionized production methods.
  3. Urbanization: Movement of people to cities, concentrating workers near factories.
  4. Economic Systems: Rise of capitalism, stimulating competition and industrial growth.
  5. Social Changes: Formation of the working class and shifts in traditional social structures.

This chain approach explains the Industrial Revolution, from its origins in agricultural changes to its far-reaching social impacts. It demonstrates how each factor is built upon and related to the others, creating a comprehensive picture of this transformative period. 

In both cases—the simpler climate change example and the more complex historical analysis—we use the Chain of Knowledge technique to guide the AI through a structured thinking process. This helps us get more thorough and interconnected analyses, whether we’re dealing with current issues or historical events.

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Benefits of Chain of Knowledge in Prompt Engineering

Here are the benefits of Chain of Knowledge in Prompt Engineering:

  1. Comprehensive Understanding: Chain of Knowledge helps AI models develop a more nuanced and complete understanding of complex topics.
  2. Logical Progression: Following a chain of related concepts makes the AI’s responses more coherent and structured.
  3. Interdisciplinary Insights: Chain of Knowledge can help connect ideas across different fields, leading to novel insights.
  4. Enhanced Problem-Solving: Chain of Knowledge can lead to more effective problem-solving approaches by breaking down complex problems into a chain of related concepts.
  5. Improved Explainability: The Chain of Knowledge’s step-by-step nature makes understanding and explaining the AI’s reasoning process easier.

Challenges and Considerations of the Chain of Knowledge

While Chain of Knowledge offers many benefits, it’s important to consider potential challenges:

  1. Bias in Chain Selection: Choosing which concepts to include can introduce bias into the analysis.
  2. Complexity Management: Managing a long chain of knowledge can be challenging for very complex topics.
  3. Overreliance on Predetermined Paths: The chain of Knowledge might sometimes limit the exploration of alternative explanations or connections.
  4. Validation of Knowledge: Ensuring the accuracy of each link in the chain is crucial for the overall reliability of the analysis.

The Future of Chain of Knowledge in Prompt Engineering

As AI continues to evolve, we can expect to see more sophisticated applications of Chain of Knowledge:

  1. Dynamic Chain Generation: AI systems that can autonomously generate relevant chains of knowledge based on the given topic.
  2. Multi-dimensional Chains: Exploring topics through multiple interconnected chains, creating a web of knowledge.
  3. Interactive Chain of Knowledge: Systems that allow users to build and modify chains of knowledge in real-time collaboratively.
  4. Cross-lingual Chain of Knowledge: Chains of knowledge that span multiple languages, enabling global knowledge synthesis.
  5. Adaptive Chain of Knowledge: Systems that can adjust the complexity and depth of the chain based on the user’s level of understanding.

Conclusion

Chain of Knowledge is a powerful tool in the prompt engineer’s arsenal. Guiding AI models through interconnected concepts enables more comprehensive, logical, and insightful analyses of complex topics. As we refine these techniques, we’re not just improving AI’s analytical capabilities – we’re paving the way for more nuanced and contextualized AI interactions that can augment human understanding across various domains.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is a Chain of Knowledge in prompt engineering?

Ans. Chain of Knowledge is a design approach for prompts used in AI and natural language processing. It allows large language models to use a sequence of related facts or ideas to tackle complex problems or provide more comprehensive answers.

Q2. How does the Chain of Knowledge work?

Ans. Chain of Knowledge breaks down complex topics into smaller parts. It starts with simple ideas and progresses through new information, relating it to what is already known. This creates a chain of linked ideas the AI can follow to analyze a problem or explore a subject.

Q3. What are the benefits of using a Chain of Knowledge in prompt engineering?

Ans. Benefits include a comprehensive understanding of complex topics, logical progression of ideas, interdisciplinary insights, enhanced problem-solving capabilities, and improved explainability of the AI’s reasoning process.

Q4. How can a Chain of Knowledge be implemented in prompt engineering?

Ans. Chain of Knowledge can be implemented by creating carefully crafted prompts that guide AI through a structured thinking process. This often involves breaking down a main topic into subtopics and providing instructions for the AI to analyze each subtopic and relate it to the others.

Q5. What are some challenges in using Chain of Knowledge?

Ans. Challenges include potential bias in selecting which concepts to include in the chain, managing complexity for very intricate topics, possible overreliance on predetermined paths of thought, and the need to ensure the accuracy of each link in the knowledge chain.

I'm Sahitya Arya, a seasoned Deep Learning Engineer with one year of hands-on experience in both Deep Learning and Machine Learning. Throughout my career, I've authored more than three research papers and have gained a profound understanding of Deep Learning techniques. Additionally, I possess expertise in Large Language Models (LLMs), contributing to my comprehensive skill set in cutting-edge technologies for artificial intelligence.

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