At ICM 2026, Mathematicians Grapple with AI's Role in Their Field
In a live podcast from the International Congress of Mathematicians in Philadelphia, hosts Steven Strogatz and Janna Levin explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping mathematical practice. The discussion centers on what mathematicians value in their discipline as AI tools become more involved in research and problem-solving. The episode captures the community's evolving perspective on the purpose of mathematics in an era of machine-assisted discovery.
The episode was recorded before a live audience at the International Congress of Mathematicians in Philadelphia on July 26, 2026, marking the podcast's first live taping. Panelists included Akshay Venkatesh of the Institute for Advanced Study, Ravi Vakil of Stanford, who also serves as president of the American Mathematical Society, and Alex Kontorovich of Rutgers. The discussion traced AI's trajectory in competitive mathematics, noting AlphaProof's silver medal at the 2024 International Mathematical Olympiad and a subsequent DeepThink model achieving gold in 2025. Beyond competition results, the conversation addressed AI-generated proofs, cross-field connections, and the philosophical question of what constitutes genuine mathematical understanding, with panelists emphasizing the role of storytelling in mathematical practice.
This discussion reflects a broader societal moment where machine capabilities increasingly intersect with traditionally human intellectual pursuits. Students and early-career mathematicians may face shifting expectations about what skills matter, while funding agencies and universities could reconsider how research is evaluated. The episode's framing suggests that even if AI accelerates discovery, the human elements of mathematics—narrative, intuition, aesthetic judgment—may remain central to the discipline's identity, potentially influencing how mathematics is taught and valued in education systems worldwide.