What happens to mathematics when AI becomes an oracle?
Summary
Ars Technica interviews mathematician Steven Strogatz about his book Big Math and how AI and large-language models are reshaping mathematics. The conversation traces the evolution of computing from a tool to a potential oracle, discusses epistemic loss and the need for new ways to validate AI-driven insights, and explores examples like gerrymandering and protein folding to illustrate the shifting role of math in science and society.