{
  "id": 15885841,
  "title": "Chinese mathematician Sun Zhiwei proposes 1,000 problems to challenge AI",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/21/chinese-mathematician-sun-zhiwei-proposes-1-000-problems-to-challenge-15885841",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-10-21T12:00:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Reuters Business via SCMP",
    "slug": "reuters-business-via-scmp",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3371652/chinese-mathematician-sun-zhiwei-proposes-1000-problems-challenge-ai"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In today's era of AI-generated solutions to intricate mathematical quandaries, Chinese mathematician Sun Zhiwei asserts that inquisitiveness and posing pertinent queries have never been more crucial. Throughout his career dedicated to delving into the boundaries of number theory, Sun, a 61-year-old professor at Nanjing University's mathematics department, has amassed an extensive collection of problems – more than 1,000 and counting – for the global research community to address. Contrary to conventional mathematical instruction that prioritizes mastering established formulas and verifying confirmed theorems, Sun contends that genuine advancement hinges on leveraging intuition to unveil novel inquiries and employing logic to resolve them. \"A discipline bereft of conjectures renders mathematicians uncertain about their next steps, leading the field towards stagnation,\" Sun conveyed to China Science Daily. \"AI cannot resolve every mathematical conundrum. Mathematicians need not be apprehensive. Instead, they can liberate time to concentrate on tasks that AI struggles with, such as devising novel methodologies and formulating fresh theories.\" Sun likened AI to a highly knowledgeable, diligent, and intelligent graduate student. When entrusting AI to confront challenging mathematical problems, Sun provided requisite guidance and, if necessary, prompted it to adapt its approach. He cautioned against granting AI internet search access to uncover that the problem remained unresolved and discontinuing its attempts to work on it. Sun recounted that during his initial career, he adhered to traditional problem-solving methods, achieving significant breakthroughs on Hilbert's Tenth Problem, which was posed in 1900. However, a 2005 visiting professorship at the University of California, Irvine, catalyzed a paradigm shift when he encountered an American professor proficient in utilizing mathematical software to unearth patterns, a technique novel to Sun at the time. Following his collaboration with the professor in resolving a conjecture that had eluded resolution for years, Sun acknowledged that computational tools were undergoing a qualitative revolution. In 2009, he commenced self-teaching the Mathematica program for technical computing. By harnessing computers, Sun could verify thousands of instances, a task that previously necessitated laborious and often impractical manual computations. This revelation ignited an epiphany, unleashing a cascade of innovative ideas. This year, Sun compiled a compendium of problems spanning over 400 pages, encompassing 1,000 unproven conjectures that he proposed. His academic homepage also showcases a collection of conjectures accompanied by monetary incentives for their proofs, financed by his salary. Many of his problems transcend classical milestones. For instance, Sun introduced new constraints to French mathematician Lagrange's two-century-old four-square theorem, which posits that every natural number can be expressed as the sum of four integer squares, to generate novel conjectures. \"We merely label a theorem as 'beautiful,' and once the proof is complete, we deem the matter concluded. We never deliberate on whether the theorem possesses sufficient strength or inherent limitations,\" Sun remarked. \"Textbooks frequently accentuate greatness, not flaws.\" As AI transforms scientific discovery, Sun advocated for a receptive stance towards AI's role in advancing mathematics in pursuit of truth. \"If one pursues mathematics solely for fame and fortune, they might harbor concerns about AI usurping their occupation, but if their objective is the pursuit of truth, they should embrace the manner AI propels the field,\" he stated. Sun deemed certain of his most formidable problems \"alien conjectures\" – predicaments that he asserted \"Earthlings undoubtedly cannot resolve.\" When queried about the rationale behind proposing insolvable problems, Sun elucidated: \"My intent is not whether you can solve it or not, I am merely seeking truth. Concerning whether modern instruments suffice, that is a separate matter.\"",
  "summary": "In an age of AI-induced answers to complex mathematical problems, Chinese mathematician Sun Zhiwei maintains that curiosity and asking good questions are more important then ever. Over a career spent probing the edges of number theory, Sun, a 61-year-old professor at Nanjing University’s department of mathematics, has built a vast landscape of problems – more than 1,000 and counting – for the…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post",
        "title": "Chinese mathematician Sun Zhiwei proposes 1,000 problems to challenge AI",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/21/chinese-mathematician-sun-zhiwei-proposes-1-000-problems-to-challenge",
        "published": "2026-10-21T12:00:07.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}