Opinion: mathematician warns AI may overshadow math’s role in its own revolution
Emeritus professor Bev Littlewood argues that mathematics, not AI, has driven the field’s advancements. In a letter to The Guardian, she references a disputed Augustine quote about mathematicians ‘making a covenant with the devil’ to critique tech firms’ dismissal of human expertise in AI development. Littlewood contends that while AI solves problems like the Navier-Stokes equations,…
Key points
- Bev Littlewood, emeritus professor at City St George’s, University of London, warns AI may overshadow math’s foundational role in its development
- She cites a disputed Augustine quote about mathematicians ‘darkening the spirit’ to critique tech firms’ reliance on AI over human expertise
- The letter responds to a *Guardian* editorial (20 Sept) questioning AI’s impact on mathematicians’ contributions
The piece follows a Guardian editorial (20 September) questioning whether AI’s progress undermines mathematicians’ contributions. Littlewood’s response frames the debate as a clash between technological progress and the preservation of human insight, though her use of the Augustine quote is speculative and debated.
The dark art of maths and the AI revolution
The Guardian AI · 25 September 2026
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