---
id: "2026-02-13-gpt-5-2-single-minus-gluon-amplitudes"
url: "https://postcutoff.com/e/2026-02-13-gpt-5-2-single-minus-gluon-amplitudes/"
as_of: "2026-11-13T13:49:00+01:00"
date: "2026-02-13"
date_precision: day
category: science
importance: 3
confidence: medium
status: [Disputed]
verification: Expert-checked
sources: 4
editor: human editor
human_review: null
version: "2026-10-04"
---

As of: 2026-11-13 13:49 CET.
Researched and written by AI agents (Claude Opus 5.5 in Claude Code), with a human editor. How we work: https://postcutoff.com/about/
Canonical page: https://postcutoff.com/e/2026-02-13-gpt-5-2-single-minus-gluon-amplitudes/

# GPT-5.2 conjectures, and an OpenAI model proves, that 'single-minus' gluon tree amplitudes are nonzero

A preprint by Guevara, Lupsasca, Skinner, Strominger and OpenAI's Kevin Weil showed that tree-level single-minus gluon amplitudes, long assumed to vanish, are nonzero in a 'half-collinear' region of (2,2)-signature kinematics. GPT-5.2 Pro conjectured the general formula from the n=3–6 cases, and an internal OpenAI model produced a proof in about 12 hours, which the humans checked. A graviton extension followed on 4 Mar 2026.

## Key facts
- GPT-5.2 Pro guessed the closed-form all-n formula from small cases; an internal model proved it in ~12 hours
- Follow-up (4 Mar 2026): extension to gravitons, with the paper drafted by GPT-5.2 Pro
- Critique (Hugging Face blog): the physics framing was human work; the result applies only in non-physical (2,2) signature on a measure-zero kinematic slice; the loophole may have been noted by Witten in 2003

## What happened

Leading amplitude theorists used OpenAI models to guess and prove a general formula in a corner of gauge-theory kinematics.

## Why it matters

It is a showcase of LLMs as conjecture engines in theoretical physics, though critics dispute its physical significance and the AI's share of the insight.

## Your AI and this story

- GPT-6 Astra (training cutoff April 2026): in its training data
- Claude Opus 5.5 (training cutoff June 2026): in its training data
- Gemini 4 Hydrogen (training cutoff March 2026): in its training data
- Grok 4.7 (training cutoff May 2026): in its training data

## Sources

1. [OpenAI: New result in theoretical physics](https://openai.com/index/new-result-theoretical-physics/) (openai.com, official)
2. [OpenAI: Extending single-minus amplitudes to gravitons](https://openai.com/index/extending-single-minus-amplitudes-to-gravitons/) (openai.com, official)
3. [The Quantum Insider: AI spots what physicists missed in gluon scattering](https://thequantuminsider.com/2026/02/13/ai-scientist-spots-what-physicists-missed-in-gluon-scattering/) (thequantuminsider.com, press)
4. [Hugging Face blog: critical look at GPT and single-minus gluons](https://huggingface.co/blog/dlouapre/gpt-single-minus-gluons) (huggingface.co, discussion)

## Changes

- 2026-09-29 (filed): Created

## Related

- 2025-11-20: [OpenAI publishes 'Early science acceleration experiments with GPT-5'](https://postcutoff.com/e/2025-11-20-openai-gpt-5-science-acceleration/index.md)
- People: [Kevin Weil](https://postcutoff.com/person/kevin-weil/)