AIの難問解決と探究の過程をめぐる数学者の苦悩

人工知能じんこうちのう（AI）が数学すうがくの難問なんもんを次々つぎつぎと解決かいけつするなか、数学界すうがっかいでは問題もんだいを解とく「探究たんきゅうの過程かてい」そのものが失うしなわれかねないという危機感ききかんが広ひろがっています。世界的せかいてきな数学者すうがくしゃであるテレンス・タオ氏しは、映画えいがのネタバレやクロスワードのヒントを聞きいてしまうことになぞらえ、すでに存在そんざいする解答かいとうを知しってしまうと以前いぜんのように奥深おくふかく探究たんきゅうすることはできなくなると、The New York Timesに対たいして語かたりました。

As artificial intelligence (AI) solves difficult mathematical problems one after another, a sense of crisis is spreading within the mathematical community that the very "process of inquiry" of solving problems could be lost. World-renowned mathematician Terence Tao, likening it to hearing movie spoilers or crossword hints, told The New York Times that once you know an existing answer, you can no longer explore as deeply as before.

Vかねない= Expresses the possibility or risk that an undesirable outcome could happen ('might', 'could well'). Here, it refers to the fear that the exploratory process itself could be lost.

タオ氏しはかつて、計算けいさんの実行じっこうや文献ぶんけんの検索けんさくを補助ほじょする手段しゅだんとしてAIを熱心ねっしんに支持しじし、2023年ねんからはOpenAIのモデルも利用りようしていました。背景はいけいには、ドナルド・トランプ大統領だいとうりょうによる大学だいがくへの研究助成金けんきゅうじょせいきんカットによって自身じしんが責任者せきにんしゃを務つとめる研究所けんきゅうじょが存続そんぞくの危機ききに陥おちいり、同社どうしゃから6万まん〜7万まんドルの資金提供しきんていきょうを受うけたことがあります。しかし、OpenAIが科学者かがくしゃの支援しえんではなく、自社じしゃモデルの評価ひょうかのために数学すうがくを使つかうようになったことで、現在げんざいでは建設的けんせつてきに関かかわっていく方法ほうほうが見みいだせなくなったと述のべています。

Tao was once an enthusiastic supporter of AI as a tool to assist with performing calculations and searching literature, and had been using OpenAI's models since 2023. In the background, after research grants to universities were cut under President Donald Trump, the research institute where he served as director fell into an existential crisis, leading him to receive $60,000 to $70,000 in funding from the company. However, because OpenAI began using mathematics to evaluate its own models rather than support scientists, he stated that he can no longer find a way to engage with it constructively today.

ハーバード大学だいがくの数学者すうがくしゃグループによる報告書ほうこくしょでも、AIの進歩しんぽとともに数学界すうがっかいには「今後こんご数年間すうねんかん、深ふかい不確実性ふかくじつせいが続つづく」との見解けんかいが示しめされています。問題もんだいを解とく知的ちてきな冒険ぼうけんに引ひかれて研究けんきゅうの道みちを選えらんだ人々ひとびとの間あいだには喪失感そうしつかんがにじんでおり、タオ氏しのもとにも不安ふあんを訴うったえる声こえが多おおく届とどいています。学生がくせいとの面談めんだんが「セラピーのセッションのようになりつつある」といい、同氏どうしは対応策たいおうさくの検討けんとうや相談役そうだんやくの紹介しょうかいなど、コミュニティの支援しえんに追おわれています。

A report by a group of mathematicians at Harvard University also presented the view that, alongside AI's progress, "deep uncertainty will continue for the next few years" in the mathematics community. A sense of loss has begun to show among those who chose the research path drawn by the intellectual adventure of solving problems, and Tao has also received many voices expressing anxiety. Describing meetings with students as "becoming like therapy sessions," he is occupied with supporting the community by examining countermeasures and introducing advisors.

Vつつある= Indicates that a gradual change is currently taking place ('in the process of', 'gradually becoming'). Here, it describes meetings with students gradually turning into therapy-like sessions.Nに追われる= Indicates being overwhelmed or kept extremely busy dealing with tasks or demands ('to be pressed by', 'to be occupied with'). Here, it describes Tao being busy providing community support and addressing students' concerns.

それでもタオ氏しは、最先端さいせんたんの数学すうがくにおける問題もんだいのほとんどは未解決みかいけつのままであり、「数学すうがくは無限むげんであり、問題もんだいの難度なんどは際限さいげんがない」と強調きょうちょうしています。AIによって膨大ぼうだいなデータが収集しゅうしゅうできるようになったことで、1つの問題もんだいを単独たんどくで解とくのではなく、AIで10個この問題もんだいを解といて新あらたなパターンや疑問ぎもんを見みいだすような、より大規模だいきぼな共同研究きょうどうけんきゅうへと数学者すうがくしゃの役割やくわりが広ひろがっていくと展望てんぼうを語かたっています。

Even so, Tao emphasizes that most problems in cutting-edge mathematics remain unsolved, noting that "mathematics is infinite, and the difficulty of problems is boundless." He shared his outlook that, as AI makes it possible to collect vast amounts of data, mathematicians’ roles will expand toward larger-scale collaborative research—such as using AI to solve 10 problems to discover new patterns and questions, rather than solving a single problem in isolation.

Word	Reading	Level	Meaning
見解	けんかい	N3	opinion；point of view
膨大	ぼうだい	N2	huge；vast；enormous；colossal；extensive；large
展望	てんぼう	N1	view；outlook；prospect
探究	たんきゅう		research；investigation；enquiry；inquiry；study
喪失感	そうしつかん		sense of loss；feeling of loss

AIの難問解決と探究の過程をめぐる数学者の苦悩

Learning Notes

Grammar Patterns

Vocabulary

Language Insights

Practice

Pattern	Meaning
Vかねない	Expresses the possibility or risk that an undesirable outcome could happen ('might', 'could well'). Here, it refers to the fear that the exploratory process itself could be lost.
Vつつある	Indicates that a gradual change is currently taking place ('in the process of', 'gradually becoming'). Here, it describes meetings with students gradually turning into therapy-like sessions.
Nに追われる	Indicates being overwhelmed or kept extremely busy dealing with tasks or demands ('to be pressed by', 'to be occupied with'). Here, it describes Tao being busy providing community support and addressing students' concerns.