Thread

1. sweezyjeezy · 1789808125 · focus · HN ↗

   The math field is confronting something that coders have been dealing with for a few years now, only far more violently. Today's moat for software seems to be that AI can automate tasks but not a full job (yet). But for a large proportion of mathematicians, doing these tasks really was _the_ job. It's the bit they wanted to do, and if they completed a sufficiently difficult set of tasks, they got tenure. Now this model is failing, they frantically need to pivot the role of humans to save their profession from funding cuts.

   I remember when "writing code was never the point" became a mantra here. There was truth in it, but removing the coding has certainly taken away a lot of the texture of the work and enjoyment of the craft. Many of us feel this loss as we tech-lead teams of agents as our source of income. I am not optimistic the mathematics pivot is going to work, but I'm certain that most will be depressed with the outcome even if they succeed.

   We are all staring at the same existential dread, just seeing it unfold slower. We're being told that utopia is to be obsolete, and that is a jarring idea to contend with.

   1. adverbly · 1789910445 · focus · HN ↗

      In some sense, I can't think of a worse group for this to happen to, but a better group for who might come up with a solution and help humanity forge a new path.

      I've long been of the opinion that mathematicians are probably the smartest and most clever workforce around.

      They really might be our best hope to solving this.

      I've often secretly wished that some of these clever folks would get their head out of the books and solve some real world problems. This might just be a forcing function for that.

      I can't imagine the social disruption of for example it had been trucking or construction or some other industry which might react more combatively and less constructively to complete automation.

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