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Chinese doctor stuns maths world by cracking decades-old problem using ChatGPT

When Beijing-based neurosurgeon Jin Shanmu pulled up a chair at his computer, he was not looking to make mathematical history. He was simply trying to crack a problem related to brain ultrasounds. Instead, the self-taught maths enthusiast, with help from OpenAI’s latest flagship artificial intelligence (AI) model, solved a two-decade-old mathematical puzzle that had frustrated experts around the world since 2004. Jin, a postdoctoral researcher and resident at the Peking Union Medical College...

Published by South China Morning Post Fri, 14 Aug 2026 02:00:12 GMT

Places named in this report: Beijing

Exact coordinates

beijing: 39.900, 116.400

Read it at South China Morning Post See this on the map

A white robot sitting in front of a chalkboard filled with equations AI-written description This image does not appear to show the event — The image depicts a robot and a chalkboard, which does not show the specific event of a human doctor solving a problem, and the description of a robot in front of a chalkboard is a generic stock-style illustration rather than a specific photograph of the news event.

What might happen next? AI-generated

These scenarios are written by an AI language model from the headline and summary above. They are not predictions from the newsroom, and they are not evidence of anything. Every one is given a deadline and checked against later coverage, and the score is published on the ledger — including the ones that miss.

Unresolved 60% Academic Scrutiny

Within a week, peer reviewers and mathematicians publish detailed critiques questioning the validity of the AI-assisted proof, citing potential hallucinations or logical gaps in the ChatGPT-generated steps. The mathematical community issues a joint statement calling for independent verification before accepting the solution.

Watch for: Leading mathematician publishes a blog post detailing logical errors in the proof · Journal retracting initial coverage pending peer review
Unresolved 25% Verification Confirmed

A team of independent experts verifies the AI-generated proof, confirming Jin's solution is correct. The discovery is published in a major mathematical journal, establishing a new precedent for AI-assisted theorem proving in high-level academia.

Watch for: Paper accepted by Annals of Mathematics · OpenAI announces partnership with Peking Union Medical College
Unresolved 10% AI Model Update

OpenAI releases a new version of its flagship model specifically optimized for mathematical reasoning, citing the 'Jin case' as a benchmark. The news cycle shifts focus from the doctor to the technological capability of the updated AI model.

Watch for: OpenAI releases GPT-5-Math benchmark results · Tech news outlets report on new AI coding standards
Unresolved 5% Ethical Controversy

Academic ethics boards launch an investigation into whether using AI constitutes 'authorship' or 'plagiarism', potentially stripping Jin of his credentials. The story becomes a global debate on AI ethics rather than a mathematical breakthrough.

Watch for: University suspends Jin pending ethics review · Major newspaper editorial condemns AI-assisted academic work

Generated by Qwen3.6-35B-A3B-UD-Q5_K_M.gguf on 2026-08-14. Checked against later coverage after 2026-08-21. See how these forecasts score.

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