Grothendieck's 'No one asked for this' becomes AI-era math meme
Singularitarian · x · 2026-11-07
A math-history quip is being repurposed as commentary on AI in mathematics: citing Grothendieck's "No one asked for this" to Deligne, commenters note the parallel between Grothendieck's displeasure at Deligne's spectral-sequence proof and today's mathematicians watching AI crack beloved conjectures. If the standard conjectures fall to AI soon, it may confirm that closing conjectures discourages exploration of the territory.
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