The Age of Wonders and Terrors
Scott Aaronson (Shtetl-Optimized) · blog · 2026-09-15 · ★★★ · archived
A leading theoretical computer scientist declares, after OpenAI's Navier–Stokes claim, that human mathematicians are 'forevermore dethroned as the main theorem-proving entities on planet earth'; widely quoted, including by Quanta.
Summary
Blog post of Sept 15, 2026, reacting to OpenAI's Navier–Stokes Millennium Problem claim and the run of AI-solved problems in mathematics and theoretical computer science. Aaronson (UT Austin) says he does not "expect that I'll ever again prove a theorem because I'm actually needed to prove it" and that "human mathematicians are forevermore dethroned as the main theorem-proving entities on planet earth". He also raises the priority dispute: "What exactly did OpenAI know about Buckmaster and Alpöge's work and when did it know it?" Quanta's Oct 5 essay quotes the post, noting that Aaronson sits on Quanta's advisory board.
(Summary written from a tool summary of the page and the Quanta quote. To verify on fetch.)
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