A team of researchers led by Peking University has developed an artificial intelligence (AI) system capable of solving and verifying an open mathematical problem without meaningful human intervention.
The model was able, within a few hours, to formalize the solution to a conjecture proposed in 2014, using a dual-agent system that combines natural language reasoning with formal verification, the South China Morning Post reported today.
The system, described in a preprint paper published on the arXiv repository, tackled a problem in commutative algebra proposed by American mathematician Dan Anderson and completed the verification in around 80 hours of computation.
According to the researchers, the model integrates an informal reasoning agent, responsible for exploring strategies and constructing potential proofs, with a formal verification agent that translates those proofs into a rigorous mathematical format that can be verified by machines.
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The team noted that the only human intervention involved providing access to restricted documents that the system could not obtain independently, without requiring mathematical judgment during the process.
The authors argue that this approach could automate tasks that previously required collaboration between experts and continuous supervision, although the work has not yet been peer-reviewed.
The development is part of the broader progress of large language models and agent-based systems applied to mathematical research, an area where challenges such as the reliability of AI-generated proofs still remain.
Researchers emphasized that combining natural language reasoning with formal verification could help solve complex problems and strengthen validation in this field.
The project follows the emergence in recent months of new Chinese models such as DeepSeek and others developed by major tech companies like Alibaba and ByteDance, which have increased international visibility of China’s AI sector and intensified technological competition with the United States.
Artificial intelligence was also a central topic at the annual meeting of the National People’s Congress held in March, where Beijing reaffirmed its commitment to integrating this technology across multiple sectors of the economy and promoting related employment.
