OpenAI pulls out of Caltech math hackathon after mathematicians issue open letter criticizing AI math 'slop'

OpenAI decided to withdraw its sponsorship of a mathathon at California Institute of Technology after mathematicians issued an open letter criticizing the potential negative impacts of AI on the field. The mathematicians argued that AI companies often claim to solve complex theoretical problems using their models, but then leave the development of practical applications and proofs to actual researchers, a process they termed "sloppy mathematics."

Event organizers had hoped the hackathon would serve as a platform for showcasing responsible use of AI in mathematics. However, the mathematicians believed the event would instead provide unfair advertising for AI companies, who would take credit for the efforts of talented undergraduates. OpenAI's researcher revealed that the company is no longer sponsoring the event, which is intended to be a showcase for responsible AI use in mathematics.

OpenAI's decision followed an open letter from current and former Caltech mathematicians, who warned that the event could have destructive impacts for the mathematical community due to the rapid progress of AI in mathematics. They noted that the labor for verifying, disseminating, and at times discrediting claimed results is often uncompensated, uncredited, and unacknowledged by the AI companies.

The mathematicians also accused OpenAI of potentially using their conversations with AI chatbots, including OpenAI's, to arrive at a solution to the Navier-Stokes equations, a 90-year-old set of mathematical formulas. OpenAI could not rule out this possibility, stating that de-identified data derived from their usage of their products may have helped improve their models.