Fields Medal winner and University of Chicago professor Deng Yu recently shared his perspective on the role of mathematics in the age of artificial intelligence. During a forum, he emphasized that human independent thinking remains a fundamental trait that should not be surrendered to automated tools.
Deng Yu stated that mathematics serves as the purest discipline for testing and demonstrating human exploration capabilities. He expressed his firm belief that mathematics will not disappear in the AI era, noting that such an outcome would represent a significant loss for humanity.
Deng Yu received the Fields Medal on July 23, 2026, at the International Congress of Mathematicians in Philadelphia. He was recognized for his work on the narrow Hilbert's sixth problem, becoming one of the first Chinese mathematicians to receive this honor.
The Fields Medal is considered the highest honor in the field of mathematics. It is awarded every four years to a maximum of four individuals under the age of 40. Due to these strict criteria, the total number of recipients over the past century remains in the dozens.
