OpenAI cracks Millennium Prize Problem with 10,000 agents, at an estimated $15M cost
nordicinst · x · 2026-09-12
The Guardian reports OpenAI claims its latest model has cracked a Millennium Prize Problem—a $1M puzzle that stumped mathematicians for decades. The feat was unlike typical mathematical breakthroughs: the near-trillion-dollar company unleashed an estimated 10,000 autonomous AI agents on the problem, at a reported cost of around $15 million.
The speed of the achievement shocked the field. Prof Colva Roney-Dougal of St Andrews said she publicly claimed months ago AI wouldn't do anything remarkable soon—"three months later, I'm totally wrong." Mathematicians are now asking what remains for human researchers when works in progress can be hoovered up by AI, and how to train the next generation when tough assignments fall at the press of a button.
Related event: OpenAI's 10,000-Agent Navier-Stokes Claim Sparks Math Community Credit War(18 posts)→
More from AGI Musings
- DeepMind's Economics of Intelligence: AI reshapes economy via agent coordination, not solo model smarts — Scobleizer · 2026-10-31
- Claude can build pro software for ~$20k in tokens — and TAM shrinks to match — bigblueboo · 2026-10-31
- Will AI kill the 9-5? A long read traces the workday back to Josiah Wedgwood's 1769 pottery factory — Konstantine · 2026-10-31
- AI memo: China to restrict exports of 23 AI technologies, plus Kimi K3.1 Pro and Genie 4 — dralandthompson · 2026-10-31
- Chinese firms offer AI 'ghost bots' that resurrect deceased loved ones from 30 seconds of footage — ArtificialOther · 2026-10-31
- SCOPE workshop proposed for ICLR 2027 asks what counts as an AI scientific discovery — mariyaivasileva · 2026-10-31