What It Means to Be a Mathematician When AI Does the Math: Researchers are Debating Motivation, Purpose, and the Future of the Field

IF 2.2 4区工程技术 Q2 ENGINEERING, ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC

IEEE Spectrum Pub Date : 2026-09-01 Epub Date: 2026-09-07 DOI:10.1109/MSPEC.2026.11683618

Benjamin Skuse

引用次数: 0

Abstract

IN THE MID - NOUGHTIES, when music by the Killers and Franz Ferdinand blared out of every pub and nightclub I passed, I spent my days and nights struggling through a Ph.D. in applied mathematics. My research focused on simulating how special light waves interact in liquid crystals and using simple equations to approximate and understand those interactions. When I look back at my thesis now, liquid crystal technology is old hat, and I imagine my work could be completed with AI assistance in a matter of days—maybe hours.

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当人工智能做数学时，成为数学家意味着什么：研究人员正在争论该领域的动机、目的和未来

2005年前后，当杀手乐队（Killers）和弗朗茨·费迪南德（Franz Ferdinand）的音乐在我路过的每家酒吧和夜总会里轰鸣时，我日夜努力攻读应用数学博士学位。我的研究重点是模拟特殊光波如何在液晶中相互作用，并使用简单的方程来近似和理解这些相互作用。当我现在回顾我的论文时，液晶技术已经过时了，我想象我的工作可以在人工智能的帮助下在几天甚至几个小时内完成。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

IEEE Spectrum 工程技术-工程：电子与电气

CiteScore

2.50

自引率

0.00%

发文量

254

审稿时长

4-8 weeks

期刊介绍： IEEE Spectrum Magazine, the flagship publication of the IEEE, explores the development, applications and implications of new technologies. It anticipates trends in engineering, science, and technology, and provides a forum for understanding, discussion and leadership in these areas. IEEE Spectrum is the world''s leading engineering and scientific magazine. Read by over 300,000 engineers worldwide, Spectrum provides international coverage of all technical issues and advances in computers, communications, and electronics. Written in clear, concise language for the non-specialist, Spectrum''s high editorial standards and worldwide resources ensure technical accuracy and state-of-the-art relevance.