GoKawiilAnthropic's Claude formalizes Fermat's Last Theorem proof in 11 days
Anthropic announced that an advanced prototype of its Claude AI model converted Andrew Wiles' famous proof of Fermat's Last Theorem into a fully computer-verified formal proof, spanning roughly 13 million lines of code. The task, expected to take human mathematicians about a decade, was completed by the AI in just 11 days. Researchers including Alex Kontorovich and Kevin Buzzard called the achievement astonishing given how quickly AI's formalization skills have advanced.
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This milestone suggests AI could soon be capable of auditing the entire body of mathematical knowledge, potentially uncovering errors in established results long taken as settled. It builds on earlier successes, such as formalizing Maryna Viazovska's Fields Medal-winning sphere-packing work, signaling a rapid trajectory toward AI becoming a standard tool for verifying rigorous proofs rather than just assisting with discovery.
- Claude formalized the 1994 Wiles proof of Fermat's Last Theorem into verifiable code in 11 days versus an estimated 10 years for humans.
- The formalized proof spans about 13 million lines of code, marking one of the largest AI-driven formalization efforts to date.
- Experts see this as evidence AI could eventually scrutinize all existing mathematical literature for hidden errors.
Fermat's Enigma by Simon Singh — If Claude formalizing Fermat's last theorem in 11 days piqued your curiosity, Simon Singh's classic tells the human side of the story s — Andrew Wiles's seven-year obsession and the 350-year mystery behind it. It's a gripping, accessible read that makes the math feel like a thriller, and perfect context for why this formalization is such a big deal.
See Fermat's Enigma by Simon Singh on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: nature.com — Castelvecchi, 2026-09-07
Published there as: “Anthropic AI ‘formalizes’ proof of Fermat’s last theorem in just 11 days”
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