# More than 1000 mathematicians pledge to avoid AI in research

Digest AI · Society & Work · published 2026-10-22T12:54:46Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/more-than-1000-mathematicians-pledge-to-avoid-ai-in-research

## Summary

Over a thousand mathematicians have joined the Association for Human Mathematics (AHM) and pledged not to work for AI firms or use AI models in their research. The group, formed after OpenAI released 722 papers in a single batch earlier this month, now counts professors and PhD students, with members split into “vegetarians” (who avoid AI companies and chat‑bot writing) and “vegans” (who also exclude AI from all research). 

Prominent signatories include UCLA professor Terence Tao, who warned that AI‑generated results are often presented in an opaque way, and Yale’s Sam Raskin, who described the pledges as “pretty mild” but motivated by concerns ranging from environmental impact to job security. Steven Sivek of Imperial College London, a vegan member, said the AHM is working on committees to protect pre‑prints, address career issues, and adapt teaching. OpenAI and Anthropic have not commented.

The AHM’s effort reflects a growing backlash against AI‑driven mathematics, where rapid, large‑scale discoveries are praised for speed but criticized for lack of clarity and potential misuse of academic work.

## Key points

- more than 1000 mathematicians have joined the Association for Human Mathematics
- the group split into "vegetarians" (no AI company work, no chatbot writing) and "vegans" (no AI in research at all)
- openai released 722 papers in one batch earlier this month, prompting the association’s formation

## Why it matters

The pledge signals a coordinated pushback from the academic community that could influence how AI tools are used, disclosed, and trained on scholarly work.

## Sources

1. [In today's Neo-luddite posturing: 1000 human mathematicians pledge to shun AI in their research](https://newscientist.com/article/2593621-a-thousand-human-mathematicians-pledge-to-shun-ai-in-their-research) (newscientist.com, 2026-10-22)

Part of the developing story: [AI Math Papers Ignite Academic Backlash](https://digestai.news/thread/openai-releases-722-math-manuscripts-without-peer-review-sparking-backlash) (2 stories)

## Cite

Digest AI, "More than 1000 mathematicians pledge to avoid AI in research", 22 October 2026, https://digestai.news/story/more-than-1000-mathematicians-pledge-to-avoid-ai-in-research

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