This is an incredible moment in this history of mathematics, computer science, physics & science with some of the hardest problems in human history being solved by AI over a period of weeks. Depending on your perspective, it's either a crisis, a triumph, or both. I don't think anyone knows for sure. We're all trying to make sense of it. I oscillate between fear/dread and optimism/excitement on a daily basis. The rate of progress is insane, including today's announcement from OpenAI of more problems solved.
To help make sense of all of it, here's my conversation with three mathematicians about this moment. Each of them is an expert in the field of each of the biggest problems solved: Navier-Stokes, quasi-Riemann hypothesis, the unique games conjecture and complexity theory more generally.
Ankur Moitra is a mathematician and theoretical computer scientist at MIT, visiting the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. Steven Brunton (@eigensteve) is a mathematician and fluid dynamics expert at UW. Alex Kontorovich (@AlexKontorovich) is a mathematician at Rutgers specializing in number theory.
Its a crisis for all those Indian H1-Bs or American tenured math professors who became essentially obsolete since 2023.
It can help with numerical challenges, the autistic math savants, but most of the university students the mass public cant do improper fractions, nor do they care.
You dont need to know linear algebra to get those coveted soon-to-be obsolete AI-native jobs.
Math and music are the languages of God.
Too bad.
Oct 27, 2026 · 12:12 AM UTC

