Karthik C. S., Amit Sahai and Jie Xue · 2026-11-02 · notable
Egoless Mathematics in the AI Era — three mathematicians on what math is for
In short
In a guest post on Terence Tao's blog, Karthik C. S., Amit Sahai and Jie Xue argue that AI exposes an old problem: mathematicians judge their worth by output and rank, when the value of math does not depend on who finds a result.
Karthik C. S., Amit Sahai and Jie Xue · 2026-11-02 · 2 sources checked
If AI can do the math, the authors ask why our sense of purpose ever depended on being the one who did it first.
What is it?
"Egoless Mathematics in the AI Era" is a guest essay by Karthik C. S., Amit Sahai and Jie Xue, posted on Terence Tao's blog "What's new" on 2 November 2026. The authors say the fear of being replaced by AI comes from a habit older than AI: measuring a mathematician's worth by publications, citations, awards and standing against others.
How does it work?
The essay contrasts math as invention with math as discovery of truths that exist on their own, and separates a correct derivation from real understanding. It rejects falling back on human creativity, intuition or taste if those are valued only as an edge over machines. In their place it proposes "egoless mathematics": seeking truth without needing the search to protect one's own importance, which the authors admit they have not reached themselves.
Why does it matter?
The post reached 173 points on Hacker News and adds to a series of essays by mathematicians on Tao's blog about how the field should respond to AI. Its claim is that both people who use AI and people who refuse it can share one commitment to truth, and it leaves policy questions open on purpose. As the authors ask: "Why should the value of our pursuit depend on being better at it than someone or something else?"
Who is it for?
mathematicians, researchers and anyone worried about AI and meaningful work