GoKawiilMIT study finds AI models solving far more theoretical science problems than in 2024
Neil Thompson's MIT lab tested OpenAI models including o1 through GPT-5.5 on unpublished theoretical problems drawn from recent papers in fields like probability, statistics theory, economic theory, high-energy theory, cosmology and quantum physics. Success rates rose from about 2 percent in mid-2024 to roughly 35 percent by mid-2026, with internet access blocked to ensure models reasoned rather than searched for answers. The researchers, including PhD student Gabriel Manso and scientist Claudio Mayrink Verdun, say the trend shows no sign of plateauing.