Latest Articles
Anthropic asked AI to crack Riemann. I asked AI to spot a maths joke.
Anthropic asked its AI to "take a real stab" at the Riemann hypothesis, a 167-year-old mathematical mystery with a million-dollar prize. Claude did not win the prize. What it did do is push a stubborn 41.6% floor to 67.2% on a related problem, formally verified, and praised by Oxford’s James Maynard as "a genuinely interesting mathematical contribution." Then a small experiment of my own: five leading AI models given a maths puzzle that hides a visual joke. Only two spotted it. A story about two corners of intelligence, and the humility and scepticism they demand.
The Froth on the Frontiers: AI, Digital Currencies, Quantum
I read two articles this week about why AI has not replaced software engineers, and why it is unlikely to. Both resonated with me deeply. Reading them side by side opened a wider frame. I see the same froth across every frontier I touch. AI. Digital currencies. Quantum. Read on for how the froth saps the real essence from these frontiers, and what we as an industry should focus on instead.
A Weekend Note: On AI, Bullshit Jobs, and the Art of Manufacturing Fear
Three billionaires telling you AI will take your job. All three getting richer every time you believe them. My Saturday started with Scott Galloway's "Apocalypse No." It led me to Graeber, Ivezic, and somehow, Dilbert. The prophets have cap tables. That's the part worth reading. My weekend note is here.