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What happened
OpenAI's announcement that GPT-5 had solved ten previously unsolved Erdős problems has led to a wave of criticism from prominent figures in the AI community. Yann LeCun, Meta's Chief AI Scientist, and Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind, both described the situation as embarrassing. The controversy arose after OpenAI VP Kevin Weil's tweet, which claimed GPT-5 made significant breakthroughs in mathematics. However, mathematician Thomas Bloom clarified that the problems were listed as 'open' not because they were solved, but because he was unaware of any existing solutions. OpenAI researcher Sebastien Bubeck later acknowledged that GPT-5 only found references to existing solutions, which raises concerns about the accuracy of AI's reported achievements and the potential for misinterpretation.
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Key insights
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Misrepresentation of AI capabilities
The incident highlights the risks of overstating AI achievements.
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Community backlash
Prominent AI figures criticized OpenAI's claims, indicating a divide in the community.
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Importance of accuracy
Accurate reporting on AI capabilities is crucial for credibility.
Takeaways
The backlash against OpenAI's claims about GPT-5 serves as a reminder of the importance of transparency and accuracy in the AI field. Misleading statements can damage trust and hinder progress.