Terence Tao uses ChatGPT for symbolic verification in constructing/relating a potential Jacobian Conjecture counterexample (polynomial maps with constant nonzero Jacobian).

“The greatest mathematician alive just let ChatGPT verify the algebra for a potential disproof of one of math's oldest open problems.”

Why It Matters

Concrete artifact of a living legend using LLM as co-pilot for heavy algebraic lifting in pure math. AI changing discovery, builder utility (researchers), and human identity ("what counts as mathematical insight?"); intelligible weird story, not generic hype.

Evidence

Source evidence is in the linked daily scan.

Sources

Daily scan: 2026-07-23