How to prevent AI from harming mathematicsDownload PDF WORLD VIEW27 July 2026Mathematicians must urgently recognize AI’s impacts on their field — and act swiftly to mitigate threats.ByJim Portegies ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2103-73340Jim PortegiesJim Portegies is a mathematician working on artificial intelligence at Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, the Netherlands.View author publicationsSearch author on: PubMed Google ScholarScience as we know it is under threat from rapid developments in artificial intelligence. Generative AI is fuelling a rise in submissions of low-quality research papers written with the help of chatbots. And technology companies control the most powerful models. With investments in AI for science accelerating, it might not be long until tech firms effectively shape the questions that researchers ask.Why mathematics is set to be revolutionized by AIMathematics is particularly affected, because the discipline lies at the heart of AI systems. The work of many maths researchers also spills into ethical territory. AI models can be used for warfare or mass surveillance and to fuel political disturbances. AI use also affects the environment through the systems’ demand for energy and water.This is why, with 15 colleagues, I wrote the Leiden Declaration on Artificial Intelligence and Mathematics. It calls on all mathematicians — as individuals and as a community — to ensure that the integration of AI into the field brings benefits, not irrevocable harm. AI should speed up processes or help researchers to gain insights; it should not erase expertise, create rifts in the community or weaken the educational system. The declaration was published on 2 June. Since then, it has been signed by roughly 3,000 scientists, most of whom are research mathematicians, and attracted interest from mathematical organizations and the press.Even so, I think many community members do not grasp the urgency. Mathematician Terence Tao, who received the 2006 Fields Medal, stated in his endorsement of the declaration that the community should have started discussing AI’s implications years ago. Others agree.The declaration is the result of a September 2025 workshop in Leiden, the Netherlands, that brought together around 60 mathematicians, computer scientists, historians, philosophers and social scientists to discuss the mechanization of mathematical research.All participants agreed that action is needed urgently, despite having a range of views and predictions about what AI might mean for the discipline. I was part of a representative group of 16 delegates who worked on charting a course for the field.How AI is reshaping discovery in maths and physicsThe declaration identifies core values of mathematics: transparency, scientific integrity and proper attribution of previous work by situating new research in existing literature. It sets out merit-based standards: the ability to learn and work in mathematics on the basis of skills, rather than any form of privilege. And it emphasizes autonomy: as a community, mathematicians should have a large say in the field’s direction.The document calls on mathematicians to ensure that their work is correct, adhere to open science and provide enough information so that manuscripts can be reviewed thoroughly. They should insist on human authorship and disclose AI use. And they should make informed ethical decisions regarding which tools to use and whether to collaborate with industry.Nature 655, 1104 (2026)doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-026-02309-7Competing InterestsThe author declares no competing interests. How AI is reshaping discovery in maths and physics Why mathematics is set to be revolutionized by AI ‘It is incredible’: How AI is transforming mathematicsSubjectsMathematics and computingMachine learningPolicyEthicsLatest on:Mathematics and computingMachine learningPolicyJobs Solutions Sales Specialist, protocols.ioJob Title: Solution Sales Specialist, protocols.io Location: New York (Hybrid Working Model) About Springer Nature Springer Nature is one of the ...New York City, New York (US)Springer Nature LtdFaculty Positions in Chemical Biology, Westlake UniversityWe are seeking outstanding scientists to lead vigorous independent research programs focusing on all aspects of chemical biology including...Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaWestlake University School of Life Science