Creating a database of motivated proofs – Gowers's Weblog
6 hours ago
- #Mathematical Collaboration
- #AI in Mathematics
- #Proof Databases
- The author confirms the continuation of a project funded by the Astera Institute, supporting PhD students and postdocs.
- A new subproject aims to create a database of 'structured motivated proofs' to enhance AI's understanding of mathematical proofs.
- The project received funding from Renaissance Philanthropies' $9m AI for Math Fund, focusing on AI and mathematics collaboration.
- Current mathematical proofs often omit the thought process, making them hard for AI to learn from, leading to 'guess and check' methods.
- The proposed database will include proofs that reveal the underlying thought processes, aiming to improve AI's mathematical reasoning.
- A 'structured motivated proof' is defined as one generated by standard moves or through a point-and-click system, ensuring transparency.
- The project seeks collaboration for submitting proofs, designing the platform, beta-testing, and moderating entries to ensure quality.
- Future developments may include integrating the platform with proof assistants like Lean for formal verification and autoformalization.