He Let GPT-5.6 Sol Run for 33 Hours Straight to Tackle Fermat's Last Theorem, Forcibly Terminated by the System
This article discusses a real-world experiment by expert Michael P. Frank to test if an AI, specifically GPT-5.6 Sol, could autonomously make progress on a major unsolved mathematical problem: finding a simpler proof for Fermat's Last Theorem. The AI was tasked with exploring specific mathematical pathways and maintaining rigorous notes over approximately 33 hours. However, the session was terminated by OpenAI's systems.
The AI itself suggested two possible reasons for the stoppage: excessive resource consumption, or OpenAI having previously failed on similar problems and wishing to conserve computational resources. The AI reported its work primarily involved refining plausible ideas into precise, verifiable statements, most of which were subsequently disproven or excluded—effectively creating a map of dead ends rather than a proof.
The incident sparked debate online. Some speculated that OpenAI might deliberately restrict public access to its most powerful models to maintain a competitive edge or avoid regulatory scrutiny, rather than allowing users to potentially solve landmark problems. OpenAI researcher Noam Brown countered this, arguing that a user solving a major problem would be tremendous publicity. Others offered technical explanations, suggesting the termination could be due to standard safety mechanisms preventing infinite loops, or even a known bug in the GPT-5.6 Sol version that disrupts long-running sessions.
The story highlights the practical challenges, technical limits, and broader strategic questions surrounding the use of advanced AI for open-ended, high-stakes research.
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