Renowned mathematician Shing-Tung Yau stated that artificial intelligence (AI) still needs the help of mathematicians, suggesting that human minds should work together with AI to solve difficult problems.
According to China News Service, the "AI and Mathematics" night talk at the 10th International Congress of Chinese Mathematicians was held in Shanghai on the evening of the 6th. Shing-Tung Yau, chairman of the International Congress of Chinese Mathematicians and chairman of the Shanghai Center for Mathematical Sciences and Interdisciplinary Studies, delivered a speech at the event.
Yau remarked that mathematics and artificial intelligence are basically inseparable, and that AI currently still needs mathematicians to assist, especially since the most fundamental algorithms are heavily reliant on mathematics.
Yau said the first time AI had a major impact on his thinking was the success of AlphaGo. "Go is an extremely complex problem, yet AlphaGo managed to do it."
He expressed that while AI can help with many important matters, he recommends that human minds and AI work together to solve (difficult) problems, noting that "AI lacks sufficient imagination in some areas, and mathematicians can help with that."