Lean verification in Navier-Stokes announcements: is formal proof checking the new publishing bar?

CsabaSzepesvari · x · 2026-09-10

Noting that both OpenAI and Alpöge-Buckmaster leaned heavily on Lean in their Navier-Stokes announcements, Fortnow asked whether formal verification is becoming a new requirement for publishing. RL researcher Csaba Szepesvari responded: Lean checking is the minimum absent a human mathematician signing off on correctness; it saves human time by filtering proofs not worth reading; and rather than mandating it, publishers can and should run the verification themselves.

Related event: OpenAI's Navier-Stokes Proof Verified in Lean Within 17 Hours(3 posts)→

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