Richard Borcherds, a renowned mathematician, said he no longer sees the value in paying graders to evaluate whether students’ homework answers are correct when AI can increasingly do the work for them.
asserted
AI → say → them
The professor’s comments come after OpenAI’s announcement that its AI agents had apparently solved the notoriously difficult Navier-Stokes existence and smoothness problem, one of mathematics’ major unsolved challenges.
asserted
agents → come → challenges
“If AI continues to improve at present rate, then, in a few years, there’ll be nothing human mathematicians can do that AI can’t do better,” Borcherds told the Daily Californian, Berkeley’s student newspaper.
asserted
Borcherds → continue → Californian
Borcherds, who received the prestigious Fields Medal in 1998 for his contributions to mathematics, said he now awards credit based on whether students complete their assignments rather than whether their answers are right.
asserted
answers → receive → assignments
He acknowledged that the approach falls short of an ideal grading system but said he currently has few alternatives.
asserted
he → acknowledge → alternatives
The shift highlights the growing challenges universities face as students gain access to AI systems capable of tackling increasingly sophisticated academic work.
asserted
students → highlight → work
Borcherds also expressed uncertainty about whether aspiring mathematicians should still pursue the field, saying that, just five years ago, mathematics appeared to offer relatively strong protection against the disruption now sweeping through other professions.
“I have no idea what to advise.
asserted
I → express → what
I even asked ChatGPT this exact question, and even ChatGPT said it didn’t have any idea what was going to happen,” he told the paper.
asserted
he → ask → paper
The professor suggested that universities might not immediately adapt to the rapid advances in artificial intelligence, pointing to the resistance to change that often characterizes academic institutions.
uncertain
that → suggest → institutions
He predicted that mathematics departments could continue operating much as they do now for several years, even as AI capabilities advance.
uncertain
capabilities → predict → years
Borcherds compared the situation to academic journals that continue publishing physical editions despite, in his view, having lost much of their purpose decades ago.
asserted
that → compare → purpose
“There have been plenty of technical breakthroughs in the past — hand weaving was put out of business by looms, and horses were put out of business by motor cars, and so on,” Borcherds said.
asserted
Borcherds → put → cars
“This is the first time anything like this has happened in mathematics, though.”
asserted
anything → happen → mathematics
Berkeley has already established guidance requiring faculty members to address AI use in their courses.
asserted
Berkeley → establish → courses
Anne Marie Richard, the university’s assistant vice provost for undergraduate education and chief academic technology officer, said the Berkeley Division of the Academic Senate asks instructors to include statements in their syllabi outlining course expectations, including rules governing AI tools.
asserted
Division → say → tools
However, the specific restrictions can differ substantially depending on the class and its subject matter, Richard said in an email, according to The Californian.
uncertain
Richard → differ → Californian
The university has explored AI-detection software, including Turnitin and Rumi, but determined that the tools were not reliable enough to adopt as a standardized campus-wide solution, the student newspaper reported.
asserted
newspaper → explore → solution
Individual instructors therefore retain control over AI policies in their classrooms.
asserted
instructors → retain → classrooms
The Aporia
