{
  "id": 15587805,
  "title": "Math's 'romantic era' is over, UCLA prodigy says",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/maths-romantic-era-is-over-ucla-prodigy-says",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-19T09:27:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Insider",
    "slug": "business-insider",
    "url": "https://www.businessinsider.com/math-ai-tools-openai-terence-tao-ucla-2026-10"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Mathematics is undergoing a transformation, according to Terence Tao, a distinguished professor at UCLA who earned his doctorate at the age of 20. In a recent podcast, Tao proclaimed that the era of heroic mathematics is giving way to a more industrial age. Tao explained that AI tools can now solve hundreds of mathematical problems with minimal human input, leaving even leading scholars to sift through AI-generated proofs rather than embarking on the heroic task of solving problems themselves. Tao noted that while new opportunities for discovery remain, some aspects of mathematics are being lost. OpenAI's recent breakthroughs, including the solution of the Navier-Stokes equation and another 700 outstanding problems, have sparked controversy among mathematicians. Some mathematicians argue that AI's lack of transparency in its problem-solving process makes it challenging to verify the solutions, leading to the loss of entire research programs. Additionally, OpenAI's decision to withdraw sponsorship from a mathathon event organized by undergraduates at Caltech due to concerns from senior academics has raised questions about the future of graduate student employment. Despite these challenges, Tao remains cautiously optimistic, acknowledging that the romantic stories mathematicians tell themselves may lose their significance in the future.",
  "summary": "Terence Tao earned his doctorate in mathematics when he was 20. He says AI tools are upending his field.",
  "key_points": [
    "Terence Tao, UCLA professor, says heroic era of mathematics ends",
    "AI tools solve hundreds of problems with minimal human input",
    "OpenAI's breakthroughs spark controversy over AI transparency"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The transition from individual problem-solving to AI-driven verification shifts the mathematician's role from creator to editor, threatening traditional research methods and the stability of graduate student employment.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}