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AI Cracks 12-Year-Old Math Puzzle Autonomously
18 Apr
Summary
- Dual AI system solved a 12-year-old algebra conjecture autonomously.
- Rethlas explores strategies, Archon formalizes proofs for Lean 4.
- AI performed tasks faster than humans, with minimal intervention.

A new dual-agent AI system developed by Peking University has successfully solved Anderson's conjecture, an algebra problem posed in 2014. The AI system independently tackled the 12-year-old puzzle over 80 hours, a feat researchers noted required essentially no human intervention for the problem-solving or proof formalization.
The system utilizes Rethlas to explore mathematical strategies and Archon to transform potential proofs for the Lean 4 verifier. This framework bridges natural language reasoning with formal machine verification.
Researchers highlight that the AI performed complex mathematical tasks with remarkable speed, surpassing human capabilities in independent work. While human guidance can accelerate the process, this advancement marks a significant milestone in automating mathematical research.