GoKawiilNew book 'Big Math' explores AI's growing role in advanced mathematics
Applied mathematicians Steven Strogatz and Alex Townsend have co-authored 'Big Math: The Hidden Codes That Run Our World,' examining how large language models and emerging quantum computing are pushing mathematics beyond what human mathematicians can independently verify or understand. The book grew out of lunchtime conversations at Cornell, where Strogatz mentored Townsend, and builds on Townsend's course covering the top algorithms of the 20th century.
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The authors' framing suggests a shift in mathematics from a discipline driven by human proof and intuition toward one increasingly reliant on computational systems acting as oracles whose inner workings may not be fully transparent. This could raise questions, which the book appears to address, about trust, verification, and the changing role of mathematicians as AI and quantum computing take on more complex calculations than humans can check by hand.
- Strogatz and Townsend's book addresses how AI and quantum computing are transforming mathematics.
- The collaboration originated from a mentorship relationship at Cornell University.
- Strogatz is a well-known math communicator with several prior popular science books and NYT columns.
Big Math: The Hidden Codes That Run Our World — This new book by Strogatz and Townsend dives deep into exactly the themes explored in the article—how computing and AI are transforming mathematics beyond human intuition. It's a perfect read for anyone curious about the future of math in an age of AI oracles and quantum computing.
See Big Math: The Hidden Codes That Run Our World 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: arstechnica.com, 2026-11-10
Published there as: “What happens to mathematics when AI becomes an oracle?”
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