Large language models like ChatGPT can do all sorts of things – including writing correct computer code. But how good are they at mathematics? This is one of the questions that will be explained by mathematician Kevin Buzzard from Imperial College, London at the Paul Bernays Lectures on 28, 29 and 30 August 2023.
The Paul Bernays Lectures are an annual lecture series about the philosophy of the exact sciences. The series is established in honour of the eminent logician, mathematician as well as philosopher of logic and mathematics Paul Bernays who was engaged in teaching and research at ETH Zurich from 1934 to 1959. The series was founded in 2012 by Professor Giovanni Sommaruga (D-GESS).
The theme of this year’s Paul Bernays Lectures is:
«Mathematics and the computer»
They will be held by Kevin Buzzard, Professor of Pure Mathematics at Imperial College, London. In the first lecture for a general audience, Kevin Buzzard will give an overview of where mathematics stands in the applicability of artificial intelligence to mathematical problems, and freely deliberate on where further development is heading: realistically speaking, will modern computational tools such as large language models and interactive theorem-proving tools ever be able to support working mathematicians to do their research? In the second lecture, Buzzard will delve into what an interactive theorem prover is and how it is to be used, and in the third lecture, he will outline this based on a question posed by 2018 Fields Medalist Peter Scholz.
The lectures will take place at ETH Zurich, Main Building:
Lecture 1: «Can AI do mathematics?»
Monday 28 August 2023, 5.00 p.m., HG F 30 (Audimax)
Lecture 2: «What is an interactive theorem prover?»
Tuesday 29 August 2023, 5.00 p.m., HG E 7
Lecture 3: «The liquid tensor experiment»
Wednesday 30 August 2023, 5.00 p.m., HG E 7
All lectures are given in English and Lecture 1 is aimed at a general audience.
Further information
The 2023 Paul Bernays Lectures
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