the brightest scientists have been puzzling over for decades?

Can AI solve what

Seven mathematical puzzles. A million dollars for each solution. And questions that even the greatest minds have yet to answer. Could artificial intelligence change that? AMIS colleague Cas Visser explored the fascinating world of the Millennium Prize Problems.

We live in an age where AI writes text, develops software and discovers patterns that are barely visible to humans. But can it also help solve problems that scientists have struggled with for decades?

Take the flow of water and air. Every day, we see waves moving, clouds forming and wind blowing. Yet we still do not fully understand the underlying mathematics. The Navier–Stokes problem is one of the world’s most famous unsolved questions.

A recent proposed solution attributed to OpenAI has renewed interest in this problem. Whether that solution holds up remains to be seen. But the discussion raises an equally interesting question: what becomes possible when human curiosity and AI reinforce each other?

In 2000, the Clay Mathematics Institute selected seven exceptionally difficult mathematical questions: the Millennium Prize Problems. Anyone who solves one under the official conditions could earn a million dollars. That may sound like a spectacular quiz, but their significance goes far beyond the prize money. Some concern how computers solve problems. Others involve prime numbers, the shape of our world or the physical forces governing our universe.

Take P versus NP. Suppose you are given a complicated puzzle whose solution you can check very quickly. Does that mean you can also find the solution quickly? It sounds like a simple question, but the answer could have major implications for our understanding of computer science and algorithms. Only one of the seven Millennium Prize Problems has officially been solved. The others continue to challenge scientists worldwide.

For AMIS colleague Cas Visser, this was a reason to explore further, looking beyond the news about AI and Navier–Stokes to the other major questions that remain unanswered. What do these problems involve? Why are they so difficult? And what would it mean if we eventually solved them?

These questions may seem far removed from our daily work. Yet technological progress often begins precisely there: with people who want to understand how something works and refuse to accept the limits of what we know today. We recognise that curiosity at AMIS Conclusion. Our specialists work with complex technology, data and systems every day. But just as important as knowledge is the drive to look further, explore new possibilities and question existing assumptions.

Because tomorrow’s breakthroughs often begin with the questions we dare to ask today.

Cas takes you through five fascinating mathematical questions and explores what a possible solution could mean for science and technology.

You do not need to be a mathematician to follow along. And for dedicated technology enthusiasts, there is plenty to explore in greater depth.