AI Tackles Math Conjectures: Estimating a $100B Value for Scientific Research
cloneofsimo · x · 2026-08-10
A researcher shared breakthrough progress where AI (suspected to be GPT 5.6 pro) successfully assisted in proving the HRT conjecture, calling it an incredible leap forward.
Building on this, the author proposed a thought experiment: if aliens had offered software 20 years ago capable of solving mathematical conjectures and writing arbitrary code, how much would we have paid? Estimating against the nearly $400 billion in global annual academic funding, the author argues that a one-time $100 billion investment would be a no-brainer if the software could indefinitely boost research efficiency by 25%.
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