Why do we need human mathematicians anymore?

The emergence of artificial intelligence has sparked concern about its impact on various industries, including mathematics. Po-Shen Loh, a mathematician, argues that we need human mathematicians more than ever in this AI-driven world. He points out that with every industry and job, there are simply not enough people to fill all the positions that need to be done.

This realization has led to a wave of declarations and open letters aimed at protecting and guiding the math research community, with thousands of signatories from mathematicians around the globe.

Despite the broad support among mathematicians, there have been objections from non-mathematicians, particularly those in the technology and economics communities. They argue that mathematicians should adapt and cede control to AI. However, Loh believes that a stronger solution exists to preserve human expertise in every field, even as AI advances. This solution is based on the axiom that humans should help humanity flourish.

Loh explains that if an industry commits to this axiom, the introduction of AI will create more jobs than there are people in that industry. As this imbalance grows, the advancement of AI will be forced to slow down. He emphasizes that there are no examples of intelligent species surrendering decision-making control to less capable species, highlighting the importance of human leadership in all fields, including mathematics.