Terence Tao - Machine Assisted Proof

For centuries, mathematicians have relied on computers to perform calculations, to suggest conjectures, and as components of mathematical proofs. In the light of more modern tools such as interactive theorem provers, machine learning algorithms, and generative AI, we are beginning to see machines used in more creative and substantive ways in our work. In this talk we survey some historical and recent developments, and speculate on the future roles of machine assistance in mathematics.

Terence Tao is a professor of mathematics at UCLA. Tao's areas of research include harmonic analysis, PDE, combinatorics, and number theory. He received the Fields Medal in 2006, the MacArthur Fellowship in 2007, and the Breakthrough Prize in Mathematics in 2015. Terence Tao also holds the James and Carol Collins chair in mathematics at UCLA, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society, and the National Academy of Sciences. From 2020-2024, he served on the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.