When Math Meets Auto Research with Bartosz Naskręcki

This week, Anna and Tarun are joined by Bartosz Naskręcki, mathematician and professor at Adam Mickiewicz University and researcher at the Centre for Credible AI, to explore how AI agents are transforming mathematical research. Bartosz shares his background in algebraic geometry and cryptography, and how he became involved in the ECDSA.fail competition. They discuss auto-research, the kinds of problems best suited to agent-driven exploration, and how collaborative competitions can accelerate discovery.   The conversation then turns to recent AI breakthroughs in mathematics, the challenges of verifying AI-generated proofs using tools like Lean, and the risk of AI research slop. Bartosz reflects on the changing role of mathematical intuition, the importance of keeping humans in the loop, and what these advances mean for the future of mathematics and the next generation of researchers.   Related Links

• Yukon.org
• ECDSA.fail
• ECDSA.Fail: Open Autoresearch for Optimizing Elliptic-Curve Point Addition in Shor’s Algorithm
• Proving at Scale for Universal Algebra
• Mathematical discovery in the age of artificial intelligence
• AI Grinding for Fun and Cryptanalysis
• Bartosz Naskręcki – Full Publication List
• FrontierMath: Benchmarking AI against advanced mathematical research
• Leiden Declaration on Artificial Intelligence and Mathematics
• ZK Podcast Episode 411: Auto Research on Yukon with Soubhik Deb

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