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09/18/2026

OpenAI Claims Progress on Second Millennium Prize Problem

What happened: OpenAI told the New York Times it has made "substantial progress" on a second Millennium Prize Problem, days after its controversial Navier-Stokes announcement.

OpenAI Claims Progress on Second Millennium Prize Problem

What happened: OpenAI told the New York Times it has made "substantial progress" on a second Millennium Prize Problem, days after its controversial Navier-Stokes announcement. The company did not specify which problem or provide a timeline for disclosure. The claim follows OpenAI's earlier assertion—still under review by the Clay Mathematics Institute—that its AI solved Navier-Stokes equations using a next-generation model more capable than GPT-6 Astra. Independent mathematicians, including Terence Tao, have expressed concern about the pace and transparency of these AI-driven breakthroughs, while a credit dispute continues with NYU's Tristan Buckmaster and Anthropic's Levent Alpöge, who completed related work in August 2026.

Why it matters: If verified, OpenAI's work could mark a historic leap in mathematical research and AI's role in fundamental science. However, the lack of specifics and ongoing disputes over credit and verification highlight the challenges of evaluating AI-generated proofs. The episode underscores growing tensions between AI labs and academic mathematicians, as well as the need for transparent peer review when AI claims to solve problems with million-dollar bounties.

Source: Decrypt