Steven Strogatz examines how AI could transform mathematics in new book
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Mathematician Steven Strogatz and applied mathematician Alex Townsend explore, in Big Math: The Hidden Codes That Run Our World, how mathematics underpins social media algorithms, logistics, weather forecasting, medical imaging and machine learning. In the approach presented by Strogatz, the advance of computers and, more recently, large language models and AI chatbots is pushing so-called “big math” beyond the processing capacity of individual humans.
The book examines what that shift could mean for mathematics and how society might adapt, in a context that may also include quantum computing. Strogatz is known for work on networks, chaos theory, DNA and synchronization, as well as for his science communication.
Why it matters · editorial interpretation
The book frames language models and AI chatbots as part of a shift in the scale of mathematical work, with possible effects on mathematical practice and how society adapts. It also connects this transformation to fields such as weather forecasting, logistics, and medicine.