AI solves one of math’s hardest problems in 88 hours, says OpenAI

OpenAI claims its AI system solved the Navier-Stokes problem, a major mathematical challenge, in 88 hours. The company used 10,000 AI agents and significant computing power to achieve this. The Navier-Stokes equations, which concern fluid movement, have been a difficult mathematical puzzle for decades, with important aspects lacking a proof for 90 years.

The solution found by OpenAI is considered a milestone and evidence of the rapid improvement of AI tools. However, it has yet to be verified independently or publicly accepted by the Clay Mathematics Institute, which offers a $1 million prize for the first correct solution to the problem. According to BBC Business and BBC Technology, OpenAI started training a new model at the end of August, which quickly showed it was adept at maths.

The Navier-Stokes problem is one of seven Millennium Prize Problems established by the Clay Mathematics Institute. While OpenAI's achievement is notable, some mathematicians have raised questions about the validity of the solution, with Fortune reporting concerns about cheating and intimidation.

Brief written by urgent.news from Punch, Punch Nigeria, BBC Business, BBC Technology, Fortune — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.