'The job description is changing': mathematician Terence Tao on the rise of AI
Mathematician Terence Tao discusses how rapidly advancing AI is reshaping the practice of mathematics, emphasizing that while AI is not replacing mathematicians, it is altering their roles and responsibilities. He highlights that AI's ability to generate verifiable proofs makes mathematics a fertile domain for AI development, prompting reflection on the nature of proof, authorship, and intellectual work. Tao and collaborator Tanya Klowden advocate for a human-centered approach to integrating AI into research and society.
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NEWS Q&A 27 April 2026 ‘The job description is changing’: mathematician Terence Tao on the rise of AI The Fields medallist discusses how ever-evolving technology is transforming mathematicians’ work. By Davide Castelvecchi Davide Castelvecchi View author publications Search author on: PubMed Google Scholar Email Bluesky Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Whatsapp X Terence Tao has been exploring the intersection between maths and AI.Credit: David Esquivel/UCLAIs mathematics being taken over by generative artificial intelligence? A spate of media reports has suggested that the field is being fundamentally changed by the technology. Many maths researchers say that AI’s actual capabilities are often hyped up, and that it’s not yet time to announce the death of their profession.
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