GoKawiilMathematician who accused OpenAI of copying his proof keeps using its AI tools anyway
NYU professor Tristan Buckmaster, who publicly alleged OpenAI's Codex used his unpublished work to solve the Navier-Stokes problem before he could, says he continues relying on Codex and Anthropic's Claude for his research despite the dispute. OpenAI investigated the claim and stated Buckmaster's prompts could not have influenced its system or training, while Buckmaster maintains the episode shows AI's growing reach into frontier mathematics.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The episode exposes an uncomfortable dependency: researchers who fear AI companies are appropriating their intellectual labor still feel compelled to use those same companies' tools because alternatives are scarce and the models have become essential to productivity. It also raises unresolved questions about how AI labs source, verify, and credit specialized human research when training or deploying agents on unsolved problems.
- Buckmaster alleges OpenAI's Codex leveraged his unpublished Navier-Stokes work before officially announcing a solution.
- OpenAI says an internal investigation found his prompts could not have influenced the system, including via training.
- Despite the accusation, Buckmaster keeps using Codex and Claude, citing AI companies' near-monopoly on useful tools.
Source: wired.com — Isabella Ward, 2026-09-19
Published there as: “Mathematicians Hate AI. They Can’t Quit It”
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