Science & Tech · AI · 1 hr ago
OpenAI releases AI work on hundreds of difficult math problems
OpenAI released solutions or partial solutions to 372 outstanding math problems, including progress on the Riemann hypothesis, a major puzzle about prime numbers.
The work came from an internal, unreleased AI model, according to the coverage.
The solutions were published across 722 papers, and some are difficult for mathematicians to understand and verify.
Mathematician Terence Tao shared a call for colleagues to stop working with OpenAI, arguing that science should center human understanding.
The Association for Human Mathematics also urged skepticism, saying the mass release did not follow the norms of scientific research.
OpenAI says it wants the work to advance human knowledge, but concerns remain about trust and oversight in AI research.
No further steps or plans are specified.
OpenAI released solutions or partial solutions to 372 outstanding mathematical challenges, presented across 722 papers.
The work includes progress on the Navier-Stokes equations and the Riemann hypothesis, according to the articles.
TechRadar says some solutions were produced by an internal, unreleased AI model and may be difficult for humans to understand and verify.
The Association for Human Mathematics criticized the release and urged mathematicians to stop working with OpenAI.
OpenAI said it wants the progress to advance human knowledge and mathematics.
- Who
- OpenAI released the mathematical work. The Association for Human Mathematics criticized it, and mathematician Terence Tao shared the association’s statement.
- What
- OpenAI published solutions or partial solutions to 372 mathematical challenges in 722 papers.
- When
- The release was reported on 12 October 2026. The articles say OpenAI had announced other mathematical work in the preceding weeks.
- Where
- Not stated
- Why
- OpenAI said it wanted the progress to push the frontier of human knowledge and enable further progress in mathematics.
OpenAI
Association for Human Mathematics
Purpose of the release
OpenAI
OpenAI said it wanted the progress to push the frontier of human knowledge and enable further progress in mathematics.
Association for Human Mathematics
The association said mathematicians did not ask for the work and urged a return to science centered on human understanding.
Research standards
OpenAI
OpenAI said it wanted the work to advance mathematics.
Association for Human Mathematics
The association said the work disregarded norms of scientific research and urged mathematicians to treat it with due skepticism.
OpenAI published a proposal concerning the Navier-Stokes equation, according to TechRadar.
TechRadar reported OpenAI’s release of solutions and partial solutions to 372 mathematical challenges.
Science reported progress by AI on the Riemann hypothesis.
- Challenges
- 372 outstanding mathematical challenges
- Papers
- 722
- Navier-Stokes effort
- 10,000 AI agents, according to New Scientist
- Messages
- 3 million exchanged over 88 hours, according to New Scientist
- Cost
- Millions of dollars in tokens, according to New Scientist
3 sources
What people are saying
we want this progress to push the frontier of human knowledge and enable further progress in mathematics.
Releasing over 700 files at once is not a demonstration of scholarship, but a demonstration of power.
We urge mathematicians to discontinue their work with OpenAI and to return to a vision of science that centers human understanding.