Fields Medalist Deng Yu: AI helps math research, GPT solves days-long problem

Deng Yu, a Fields Medal winner for 2026 and professor at the University of Chicago, recently shared that he uses AI tools in his math research. He said AI has made many parts of research easier, like checking proofs for simple facts or filling in knowledge he didn't have, such as known structures or standard results for a counting problem. In a recent project, a special case of a main proposition stumped him for days, but GPT gave a very simple proof that quickly solved it. Although that proof couldn't be extended to the general case and wasn't included in the final paper, it offered valuable insights. Deng noted that even if AI can't complete the final proof, it helps researchers quickly explore local paths. He hopes for a future where humans handle the big picture and core ideas, while AI helps with technical details. But he warned students new to research to stay critical and not skip independent checks just because AI gives a seemingly complete argument.