OpenAI announced three AI-generated scientific results on 26 October. In mathematics, it says its models proved the local smoothing conjecture, a proposed explanation of how waves behave, in every spatial dimension. According to the company, this also resolves two other mathematical questions: the Kakeya and Stein’s restriction conjectures.
In a separate computing project, OpenAI says its AI disproved the Exponential Time Hypothesis. This is a widely accepted assumption about how difficult certain logical problems are to solve. Hundreds of papers rely on it. An independent group, including researchers who originally proposed the hypothesis, will examine the claim, but their involvement is not an endorsement.
Separately, the physics work concerns mathematical proofs for theories describing particles and their interactions. These include quantum chromodynamics, which describes the strong force between quarks and gluons. Physicist David Gross will lead the external group examining this work.
OpenAI has published the mathematics and computing materials on GitHub, including proofs checked using Lean, a computer tool for verifying mathematical arguments. The physics group will prepare its own explanation before releasing the AI-generated material. OpenAI says it will not seek academic credit for the discoveries; researchers should receive recognition for the explanations they produce. The computing reviewers stress that the claim requires careful, independent examination.
