Star mathematician Ma Xiao leaves the US for China – and a career pivot to AI
Two years ago, Chinese mathematician Ma Xiao helped crack a century-old puzzle known as the Hilbert’s sixth problem. The problem – which has baffled generations of mathematical physicists – centres on an elusive bridge connecting the chaotic frenzy of microscopic atoms with the predictable laws of fluid motion. The breakthrough, published in the Annals of Mathematics, helped propel Ma’s…
In 2023, mathematician Ma Xiao made a surprising career move as he left his job in the United States to return to his alma mater, the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in Hefei. This dramatic shift in focus represents a significant pivot from pure mathematics to artificial general intelligence (AGI), a field he believes will shape the future of mathematical discovery.
Ma's decision comes after he helped crack a century-old mathematical puzzle known as Hilbert's sixth problem, which earned his collaborator Deng Yu the prestigious Fields Medal in 2026 and solidified Ma's reputation as a rising star in the mathematical community. Born in Xinxiang, Henan, Ma displayed exceptional mathematical talent from a young age.
Despite the allure of the prestigious mathematics Olympiads, Ma chose to enroll in USTC's School of the Gifted Young at the age of 16, where he honed his skills in university-level calculus. After graduating from USTC in 2018, Ma pursued a doctorate at Princeton University, where he began working on Hilbert's sixth problem. In 2022, he co-authored a breakthrough solution to the problem with Deng Yu and Zaher Hani, which was published in the Annals of Mathematics.
Ma's return to China marks a bold new chapter in his career, as he joins USTC's newly established Artificial General Intelligence Institute and its Institute of Geometry and Physics. His primary focus will now shift towards artificial agents, with the goal of automating mathematical proof, verification, and paper generation. USTC's launch of the Artificial General Intelligence Institute in January aims to foster original research in the field and cultivate talent with an international impact.
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