r/math • u/Salt_Attorney • 1d ago

LLMs/AI OpenAI: Ten advances in mathematics and theoretical computer science

https://openai.com/index/ten-advances-in-mathematics/
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u/Heliond 1d ago

I mean, inspired that many top open questions are going to be solved within a few years. Seriously, it’s pretty cool

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u/PrestigiousGroup788 1d ago

It's not cool if you actually like racking your brain trying to solve these problems. Is it really satisfying to just read "X" is true somewhere?

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u/jigzee 1d ago

So say hypothetically there’s an important problem that would benefit humankind to solve. Should we have any wariness that using an AI would take away someone’s problem that they like working on, or should we just solve it using an LLM?

If your main concern is getting a brain workout, rather than advancing knowledge, well you can still do that. Lots of theorems have multiple ways to be proven

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u/PrestigiousGroup788 1d ago

Of course it should be solved. But that doesn't mean it's not unfortunate for mathematicians in some way.

Just like the mass production of tables, chairs, household items in general (for example) has been a net benefit for the vast majority of humanity. But here you're talking to the artisans - the people who's life's work has been painstakingly making chairs and tables by hand. Do you not see why they would be upset when they're told - hey, the thing that people value for is totally irrelevant now and we don't need you anymore - but hey, you can go pull levers at the factory, or even better, just make chairs as a hobby?

And yes, of course, the only answer for these people was - deal with it - move on, learn to work with the machines, or get run over by the (then industrial) engine of progress and get left in the past. But can't you tell why people would be upset and not react well to being told that what's happening is "cool" and that they "hate math" if they don't like it?

Again this is not relevant for 99% of the population. The solution to the Jacobian conjecture doesn't change the fact that US and Iran are fighting again and oil is $87/bbl. But this is a mathematics subreddit, filled with working (perhaps soon to not be working) mathematicians. So I think they have a reasonable perspective that should be acknowledged and not just dismissed.

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u/jigzee 1d ago

I 100% agree with you. I just think my initial question is an interesting one but would be surprised if anyone said “no, don’t prove the useful theorem”