AI models have produced proofs challenging major theories in maths, computing, physics: OpenAI

OpenAI said its AI models have produced mathematical proofs that refute a longstanding computer science hypothesis and establish results in mathematics and theoretical physics, as the company brings together independent academic experts to verify the findings and assess their implications.

The company announced three results covering harmonic analysis, computational complexity and quantum field theory, including a proof that refutes the Exponential Time Hypothesis (ETH), a widely used conjecture about the computational effort required to solve certain problems.

“Surprisingly, our system has recently proved that the ETH is false, a result that was subsequently verified in Lean,” OpenAI said.