The substance of the appeal

Twenty-five Fields Medal recipients signed the open declaration “A Severe Misalignment of AI in Mathematics.” They include Artur Avila, Manjul Bhargava, Terence Tao, Maryna Viazovska and Maxim Kontsevich; the list is published directly below the statement. [1 · Math and AI] [2 · TechCrunch]

The authors acknowledge the sharp rise in large language models’ mathematical capabilities, but believe the competition among AI companies to solve well-known problems is at odds with the aims of science. In their view, obtaining a correct answer alone does not replace understanding, identifying a new method or integrating a result into the broader body of knowledge. [1 · Math and AI]

The risks the mathematicians identify

The declaration says that rushed announcements of solutions often leave no time for a full exposition, independent verification or proper acknowledgment of preceding work. This raises questions of authorship and may discourage researchers from sharing intermediate ideas. [1 · Math and AI] [2 · TechCrunch]

The appeal does not call for abandoning AI: the signatories acknowledge that the technology could accelerate genuine mathematical research. They insist that the outcome will depend on decisions by the mathematical community, companies and society, and call for an urgent discussion of rules. [1 · Math and AI]

Sources

  1. Math and AI — declaration and list of signatories — Accessed September 12, 2026
  2. TechCrunch — context for the mathematicians’ appeal — September 11, 2026