OpenAI claims its internal AI model solved the Navier-Stokes fluid equations, one of the seven Millennium Prize Problems worth $1 million from the Clay Mathematics Institute. The company stated that the proof was generated by approximately 10,000 coordinating AI agents using a next-generation model more capable than GPT-6 Astra, taking 88 hours to complete. The result was verified using Lean software.
NYU mathematician Tristan Buckmaster and Anthropic researcher Levent Alpöge claim they reached a solution by August 22. Buckmaster alleges that OpenAI's Sébastien Bubeck pressured them over credit and threatened his career after Buckmaster shared details of their personal project on September 3.
Sébastien Bubeck, Sam Altman, and OpenAI deny these accusations. Bubeck shared text messages to argue he acted in good faith and proposed a coordinated release. Sam Altman stated that OpenAI offered to let Buckmaster's team publish first after realizing they had only solved Euler equations, not the full Navier-Stokes problem.
The company maintains it did not see the pair's work before publication and did not access specific user data, though it did not rule out that de-identified data from product usage might have improved its models. Meanwhile, Terence Tao, a Fields Medalist, called the work of Buckmaster and Alpöge a remarkable achievement. The 100-page proof from OpenAI remains unreviewed by independent parties.