Dear colleagues, many of you will have seen this post from OpenAI, which appeared on September 8th https://openai.com/index/navier-stokes-solution/ The letter of Tristan Buckmaster, Clay Award for his work on Navier Stokes, https://cims.nyu.edu/~tristanb/statement.pdf tells the unsettling story of how OpenAI came to "solve" the millennium problem (if that is indeed the case). I prefer not to give a short version of the story, the letter speaks for itself. I would also like to flag up below the link to a petition against the Mathathon. Context (from the form below): On October 30th, 2026, Caltech will begin hosting the Caltech Mathathon<https://mathathonchallenge.com/>, a math hackathon in which participants are encouraged to solve open research problems by prompting LLMs. Two prominent AI companies, Anthropic and OpenAI, will supply participants with 2 million dollars in AI credits. This event is likely to have destructive impacts for the mathematical community. AI companies see research mathematics as an advertising opportunity. Over the past few months, they have advanced a campaign of scientific misinformation about the goals of mathematical research. Major AI companies are engaged in an arms race to declare themselves the first to prove prominent open conjectures. New announcements of AI-generated results appear on social media on a weekly basis. I would add, destructive impact on the environment as well. Link to the petition below. This is not just about whether you like using AI or not, and it is not even "just about" the impact that big companies are trying to have on our profession. This is about the impact on science, on the values we choose as foundations for advancing human knowledge and progress. And about being respectful of Planet Earth. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf6dBeDwjRP4UkchGSpLwLQjiG8qLX5_wW_3-xoC4dImTPp6g/viewform?fbclid=IwY2xjawUQizFwZG9mBWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHsl48bAwyW9IhAhoqqXpWWjhe6Ru8yihYB2jnN7wT_CJ3sadO95ME_WSaFeR_aem_Q8XqT7FSNA51pt1e8hJ4cw&sfnsn=scwspwa Another useful link is here https://www.ahmath.org/<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.ahmath.org/__;!!DZ3fjg!91iL4UmnI4yyZ2hxUK_GQ39K1JMHXNdmO0X9PRaycKA5OKz4OEoZrfmArtQRmQMf9-SzuPAqz1uEgVuhCJr7wW83dryd2w$> Best Regards, Michela -------------------------------------- Michela Ottobre Professor of Mathematics Heriot-Watt University https://www.macs.hw.ac.uk/~mo3/ My working hours are flexible. I do not expect a reply outside of your normal working hours. The School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences (MACS) at Heriot-Watt University is currently accepting applications to our PhD programmes, see www.findaphd.com<https://www.findaphd.com/phds/program/phd-opportunities-in-the-school-of-mathematical-and-computer-sciences-macs/?i106p6751>. I have a postdoc position available in my group and I am interested in hiring Phd students. Info at https://www.macs.hw.ac.uk/~mo3/ ________________________________ Founded in 1821, Heriot-Watt is a leader in ideas and solutions. With campuses and students across the entire globe we span the world, delivering innovation and educational excellence in business, engineering, design and the physical, social and life sciences. This email is generated from the Heriot-Watt University Group, which includes: 1. Heriot-Watt University, a Scottish charity registered under number SC000278 2. Heriot- Watt Services Limited (Oriam), Scotland's national performance centre for sport. Heriot-Watt Services Limited is a private limited company registered is Scotland with registered number SC271030 and registered office at Research & Enterprise Services Heriot-Watt University, Riccarton, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS. The contents (including any attachments) are confidential. If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of its contents is strictly prohibited, and you should please notify the sender immediately and then delete it (including any attachments) from your system.