OpenAI claims to have found an AI-generated solution to the Navier-Stokes equation, a 200-year-old problem that describes the natural behaviour of fluids. However, other mathematicians, including Tristan Buckmaster and Levent Alpöge, are disputing the claim, arguing that OpenAI rushed to solve the problem and tried to influence the attribution of credit.

The controversy highlights the increasing role of AI in mathematical research and the potential for conflicts over credit in the future. Sebastien Bubeck, a mathematician at OpenAI, explained that the company began training a new AI model in August, dedicating more than 1,000 agents to the problem over 50 hours before discovering the solution.

Despite OpenAI’s denial of inspecting the work of Buckmaster and Alpöge, the company acknowledged that their solution was significantly different in nature. The spat may continue as AI becomes more involved in finding mathematical proofs, leading to more disputes over credit.

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