NYU mathematician Tristan Buckmaster has unveiled groundbreaking proofs, but his journey has been marred by allegations that OpenAI may have scooped him using advanced AI models and vast computing resources. The Navier–Stokes existence and smoothness problem, one of seven Millennium Prize problems, saw OpenAI publish a full proof, despite Buckmaster’s claims that information about his progress was passed to them.

Buckmaster’s concerns center on the timing and the approach taken. The specific path to solving the problem, involving smooth forces, has been less commonly explored, making it suspicious that OpenAI ended up with the same strategy. The controversy also raises questions about the role of AI in mathematical research and the ethical boundaries of such collaborations.

In a statement, Buckmaster highlighted the extensive computing resources used by OpenAI, estimated at $22.5 million, and expressed doubts about the source of the information that tipped OpenAI off. His collaborator, Levent Alpöge, from Anthropic, adds a layer of complexity, with Buckmaster alleging that Bubeck, from Anthropic, tried to remove Alpöge’s credit as part of a compromise.

The incident has reignited debates about the impact of AI on academia and the integrity of research processes. Buckmaster’s stance is clear: more transparency is needed to ensure the integrity and fairness of mathematical discoveries.