The Dark Art of Maths and the AI Revolution
The Guardian
ENRICHED
Details
- Date Published
- 25 Sept 2026
- Priority Score
- 1
- Australian
- No
- Created
- 25 Sept 2026, 08:00 pm
Description
Letter: Bev Littlewood reminds us that mathematics has been the prime driver of the rise in AI, in response to an editorial
Summary
This letter by Emeritus Professor Bev Littlewood highlights the foundational role of mathematics as the primary driver behind current AI capabilities and the potential for these systems to surpass human mathematical intuition. By referencing historical skepticism toward mathematical certainty, the author alludes to the loss of human control and oversight as AI begins to solve complex physics problems, such as Navier-Stokes equations, through non-transparent methods. The text underscores a philosophical concern regarding the 'black box' nature of frontier AI, which poses challenges for verification and safety in high-stakes computational environments.
Body
A painting of Saint Augustine: ‘The good Christian should beware the mathematician.’ Photograph: Los Angeles County Museum of ArtView image in fullscreenA painting of Saint Augustine: ‘The good Christian should beware the mathematician.’ Photograph: Los Angeles County Museum of ArtLettersThe dark art of maths and the AI revolutionBev Littlewood reminds us that mathematics has been the prime driver of the rise in AI, in response to an editorialYou report in your leader that some mathematicians feel discomfiture at the AI solution to a Navier-Stokes problem (The Guardian view on AI v mathematicians: humans are still vital to the field, but tech firms refuse to see that, 20 September). I fear that they have been hoist by their own petard: mathematics, after all, has been the prime mover of the AI revolution.As a somewhat lowly mathematician, let me remind others of the famous quote of Augustine: “The good Christian should beware the mathematician and all those who make empty promises. The danger already exists that the mathematicians have made a covenant with the devil to darken the spirit and to confine man in the bonds of hell.”While the accuracy of the quote, and Augustine’s meaning, are in some dispute, its appropriateness here is too good to waste.Bev LittlewoodEmeritus professor of software engineering, City St George’s, University of LondonExplore more on these topicsAI (artificial intelligence)Mathematics (Science)Mathematics (Education)ComputingChristianitylettersShareReuse this content