OpenAI
Aaronson: OpenAI math release includes Lean-verified Unique Games proof
Scott Aaronson says OpenAI's batch of 372 math results contains a machine-checked proof of the Unique Games Conjecture, a claim still awaiting outside verification.
The answer
Scott Aaronson says OpenAI's 372 math results include a Lean-verified proof of the Unique Games Conjecture.
What happened: Scott Aaronson says OpenAI's release of 372 math results includes a Lean-verified proof of the Unique Games Conjecture. He made the claim in a post titled The Mathocalypse on Shtetl-Optimized, published 8 October.
The numbers: The release contains 372 results. According to AI Weekly, OpenAI says most of them came from one prompt. Four tracked experts shared Aaronson's post within hours.
The personal angle: Aaronson notes that his wife, complexity theorist Dana Moshkovitz, worked toward this result for her career.
Why it matters: The Unique Games Conjecture is the headline claim in the batch. A Lean-verified proof means a proof assistant has checked it, which is the standard the claim will be judged against.
The catch: This is not independently confirmed. The summary of both pages behind this briefing was not read in full, and no independent expert has verified the proof.
What's next: Outside mathematicians are expected to check the proof and the Lean formalisation.
Sources
- The Mathocalypse — Shtetl-Optimized (Scott Aaronson), 8 October 2026
- OpenAI says 372 math results came mostly from one prompt — AI Weekly, 7 October 2026