Science · 2026-10-17

Mathematicians doubt that OpenAI understands its own proof of the Navier-Stokes equations

Some mathematicians say OpenAI does not understand a proof that the company itself links to one of the most difficult mathematical problems.

✨ What happened

According to The Decoder, several mathematicians said that OpenAI does not understand its own proof related to the Navier-Stokes equations. This means that, in their view, the company submitted a result whose logic it cannot clearly explain.

📌 Why it matters

The Navier-Stokes equations describe the motion of liquids and gases, such as water in a river or air around an airplane. They are considered among the most difficult in mathematics: the Clay Institute named them one of seven “Millennium Prize Problems,” with a $1 million prize for a complete proof of a certain statement about them.

Therefore, any claims of solving such a problem must be checked very carefully by other experts. If the authors cannot explain their own result, this casts doubt on its reliability.

🔹 What to keep in mind

This story shows that AI can be strong in mathematics, but its results must be checked just as carefully as human work. Until independent experts confirm the proof, it is too early to talk about a final solution to the problem.

Sources: 🔗 Google News