Solving Math’s Greatest Problems Was an Art Form. Then Came AI

“The artists and the musicians have already gone through this,” says Juspreet Singh Sandhu, a mathematician at Colorado State University.

Despite what timed high school exams might have you believe, mathematicians aren’t focused on getting the right answer as fast as possible. In fact, contrary to math’s image as a practical subject, the development of new mathematical ideas often resembles artistic exploration, akin to inventing a game or puzzle. Mathematicians typically follow a thoughtful, deliberate process to develop their ideas…