# OpenAI says its Navier-Stokes proof does not follow Spanish mathematicians' approach

Digest AI · Research · published 2026-10-13T17:30:11Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/openai-says-its-navier-stokes-proof-does-not-follow-spanish-mathematic

## Summary

OpenAI posted a 166-page solution to the Navier-Stokes problem in early September, initially claiming it followed an approach by Spanish mathematicians Diego Córdoba and Luis Martínez-Zoroa. Experts now say the proof does not follow that program, despite some similarities. The proof was produced by an agent swarm of about 10,000 copies of a new math-adept LLM, which used 130 billion tokens and 88 hours of computing time to construct a mathematical blowup. Mathematician Tristan Buckmaster has alleged OpenAI attempted to bribe and threaten him to prevent him from going public with concerns about the work.

## Key points

- OpenAI's Navier-Stokes proof does not follow the Spanish program, experts say
- The proof used an agent swarm of 10,000 LLMs, 130 billion tokens, and 88 hours of compute
- Tristan Buckmaster alleges OpenAI tried to bribe and threaten him to silence criticism

## Why it matters

The episode highlights challenges in verifying AI-generated mathematical proofs and raises questions about transparency and influence in AI-assisted research, especially when claims about methodology are later disputed.

## Sources

1. [OpenAI’s blockbuster Navier-Stokes proof isn’t what we thought it was](https://scientificamerican.com/article/openais-blockbuster-navier-stokes-proof-isnt-what-we-thought-it-was) (scientificamerican.com, 2026-10-13)

Part of the developing story: [OpenAI's AI Math Claims Spark Global Debate](https://digestai.news/thread/openai-creates-independent-advisory-group-on-mathematics-and-artificial) (7 stories)

## Cite

Digest AI, "OpenAI says its Navier-Stokes proof does not follow Spanish mathematicians' approach", 13 October 2026, https://digestai.news/story/openai-says-its-navier-stokes-proof-does-not-follow-spanish-mathematic

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