OpenAI posts 700 AI-generated math preprints, sparking backlash
OpenAI released over 700 mathematical preprints generated by AI on October 6, all published simultaneously on GitHub. The move has divided the research community: some mathematicians praised potential breakthroughs, while others criticized the practice as a form of academic scooping. Critics argue the sheer volume—dubbed a ‘slopocalypse’ by one mathematician—undermines peer review and could…
Key points
- OpenAI posted 700 AI-generated math preprints on GitHub on October 6, 2026
- Critics call it ‘scooping’ and a ‘slopocalypse,’ while supporters see historic progress
- No Millennium Prize Problems were included, though one was solved by OpenAI earlier
The preprints do not include solutions to the remaining Millennium Prize Problems, though OpenAI previously solved one in September. Critics like Michael Harris (Columbia University) reject the preprints as ‘illegitimate,’ while others, such as Levent Alpöge (Anthropic), acknowledge the historic potential of AI in mathematics. Ursula Martin (Oxford) called the release a ‘messy first draft’ that shifts burden onto the community without collaboration.
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