Archive · 10 Sep 2026
OpenAI Says AI Agents Solved Decades-Old Maths Problem
OpenAI says it used many AI agents to work on a very old mathematics problem.
The effort began on September 1.
The team finished its project and checked the proof with Lean on September 6.
At first, OpenAI thought another group had solved the Navier–Stokes problem.
That group included Levent Alpöge and Tristan Buckmaster.
OpenAI later learned that their result concerned the forced Euler problem.
OpenAI said the other researchers should receive credit for solving that problem first.
The two groups discussed sharing information and possibly making a joint announcement.
OpenAI said its effort began on September 1 after hearing a rumor about a major mathematical result.
The project was completed, including Lean verification, on September 6.
OpenAI initially believed the rumor involved a solution to the Navier–Stokes problem.
The researchers later learned that Levent Alpöge and Tristan Buckmaster had resolved the forced Euler problem instead.
OpenAI recognized Alpöge and Buckmaster’s priority on forced Euler and proposed a joint announcement.
- Who
- OpenAI, Levent Alpöge, Anthropic employee, and Tristan Buckmaster, a mathematics professor at New York University.
- What
- OpenAI reported an AI-assisted mathematical project and clarified that Alpöge and Buckmaster had priority for resolving the forced Euler problem.
- When
- OpenAI said its effort began on September 1 and was completed with Lean verification on September 6; the year was not specified.
- Where
- The locations of the project and alleged resolution were not specified; Tristan Buckmaster was identified as being at New York University.
- Why
- OpenAI said it contacted the other researchers after initially believing a rumor concerned Navier–Stokes, seeking a concurrent release and recognition of their priority.
OpenAI’s Account
Researchers’ Priority
What was solved
OpenAI’s Account
OpenAI described its own AI-assisted project as addressing a decades-old mathematics problem and initially connected the rumor to Navier–Stokes.
Researchers’ Priority
OpenAI later said it learned that Levent Alpöge and Tristan Buckmaster had resolved the forced Euler problem, not Navier–Stokes.
Recognition of credit
OpenAI’s Account
OpenAI sought a concurrent release and offered to share prompts and its proof.
Researchers’ Priority
OpenAI explicitly recognized Alpöge and Buckmaster’s priority for the forced Euler result.
- Project start
- September 1
- Project completion
- September 6, including Lean verification
- Initial belief
- OpenAI believed the rumor involved a solution to Navier–Stokes
- Actual result discussed
- Levent Alpöge and Tristan Buckmaster resolved the forced Euler problem
- OpenAI's offer
- OpenAI offered visibility into its prompts and later its proof
- Priority
- OpenAI recognized Alpöge and Buckmaster’s priority on forced Euler