Cover art for The Daily

Mathematicians’ Latest Problem: What if A.I. Can Do Our Job?

The Daily

Published
October 13, 2026
Duration
33:17
Summary source
description
Last updated
Oct 13, 2026

Discusses artificial-intelligence, daily.

Summary

Artificial intelligence has gone from struggling with basic arithmetic to helping solve some of mathematics’ most famous open problems — and the field is reckoning with what that means.Steven Strogatz, a professor of mathematics at Cornell University, describes the excitement and grief of watching A.I. take on work that gives people a sense of purpose — a…

Intelligent Report

Sign in to read teasers, or upgrade to Research Pro to commission intelligent report for this episode. Learn more →

Show notes

Artificial intelligence has gone from struggling with basic arithmetic to helping solve some of mathematics’ most famous open problems — and the field is reckoning with what that means.Steven Strogatz, a professor of mathematics at Cornell University, describes the excitement and grief of watching A.I. take on work that gives people a sense of purpose — and asks what could be lost if machines deliver answers without the human struggle, insight and understanding that make solving problems meaning

Themes

  • artificial-intelligence
  • daily