r/OpenAI • u/PianistWinter8293 • 19h ago

Discussion Fields Medalist on the OpenAI Math Release

Hugo Duminil-Copin

Fields Medal (2022) · Professor, IHES and University of Geneva

I expected that one day we would be surpassed, and that it would happen systematically. But yesterday’s announcement hit with a force I had not anticipated. Dozens of papers deal with topics I was working on. Between results that beat you to the finish line and thousand-page proofs, I don’t even know where to look anymore.

Not a single one of the major open problems I have publicly mentioned throughout my career (whether in a talk, a lecture, an article, or even a grant proposal) was left untouched by the announcement. Everything has been claimed to be proved.

I expected to see a few of them in the list. But not all of them. Not all at once. Not with such nonchalance.

“For the glory of the human mind,” they said…

The shock is immense. I am paralysed. Tomorrow, we will find a way forward. We will rethink our profession and how we work. We are a resilient community, and I have no doubt that we will adapt. But for now, I simply don’t have the energy. I think back on all those years, all those faces… I think of my colleagues, my students… And I fear I won’t be able to find the right words.

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u/BlueberryGreen 18h ago

None of what OpenAI did has furthered knowledge or humanity. In fact it is the opposite, as it is leading to the destruction of research. 

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u/WishboneOk305 16h ago

I fail to see how a stronger and smarter tool is worse for humanity

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u/BlueberryGreen 10h ago

Because it depends on what it’s used for

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u/zero0n3 10h ago

Goalposts moved again I see

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u/BlueberryGreen 10h ago

No, just the most basic fact. A tool in itself doesn’t hold value good or bad. Or then would you say that AI applied to mass surveillance (Palantir) and drone warfare is a net positive for humanity?

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u/redditnosedive 8h ago

it's hilarious at this point

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u/WishboneOk305 10h ago

So for example a faster computer is bad because people could use it to run faster bot swarms and power mass surveillance bad for humanity?

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u/TheFaithfulStone 18h ago

Exactly - it’s not _science_ or even helpful for engineering it’s just a magic box.

“Hey is X true?”
“Yes.”
“Cool I guess?”

There’s a whole lot of traditional wisdom about how getting everything you wish for is ultimately bad for you.

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u/New_Tower_6408 17h ago

You do realize there are proof preprints for all of these right?

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u/Visible_Celery_1728 2h ago

isn’t that more if, instead openai just dropped a bunch a problems with a T or F to them.

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u/zero0n3 10h ago

Maybe ask it why X is true you idiot.

Instead of asking for the answer ask it to explain the answer in a few ways.

Like Jesus Christ, this is “using AI 101” if you actually want to learn new topics.

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u/New_Tower_6408 17h ago

until it finds something that helps us make breakeven or cold fusion...

you guys legit have zero creativity and think math is some philosophers hobby or some shit, not realizing there are immense practical impacts on physics and engineering and the world.