Mathematics: The rise of the machines - Yang-Hui He

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What does the rise of AI mean for the future of mathematics? Watch the Q&A of the talk here (exclusively for our Science Supporters): https://youtu.be/PdNWdDFCYMc Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYeF244yNGuFefuFKqxIAXw/join This event was filmed at the Ri on 15 September 2025, in collaboration with the London Institute for Mathematical Sciences. Artificial intelligence is no longer confined to crunching numbers—it is beginning to propose original theorems, sketch proofs and reveal new and unexpected patterns in the abstract world of mathematics. Join Yang-Hui He of the London Institute for Mathematical Sciences—one of the pioneers of AI-assisted discovery— as he explores how machine learning is transforming both the practice and philosophy of mathematical research. Drawing on his own leading-edge work, alongside insights from a recent gathering in Berkeley where mathematicians challenged a powerful AI to solve problems specifically designed to resist automation, he traces the emergence of a new form of mathematical exploration. By fusing human intuition with computational power, this evolving partnership is reshaping research and redefining the creative boundaries of the field. -- Yang-Hui He is a Fellow at the London Institute for Mathematical Sciences and Chang-Jiang Chair professor at Nankai University in China. After his BA in Princeton and PhD in MIT, he joined Oxford as the FitzJames Fellow and an STFC Advanced Fellow. He works on geometry, number theory and string theory. In 2017, he helped launch the emerging field of AI-guided mathematical discovery, where he continues to play a leading role. -- #machinelearning #mathematics #ai Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ri_science Listen to the Ri podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ri-science-podcast Donate to the RI and help us bring you more lectures: https://www.rigb.org/support-us/donate-ri Our editorial policy: https://www.rigb.org/editing-ri-talks-and-moderating-comments Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter Product links on this page may be affiliate links which means it won't cost you any extra but we may earn a small commission if you decide to purchase through the link.