OpenAI withdraws Caltech Mathathon sponsorship after mathematicians object
Dan RobertsResearch scientist, OpenAI
OpenAI research scientist Dan Roberts announced that OpenAI withdrew its sponsorship of the Caltech Mathathon competition after 771 Caltech-affiliated mathematicians signed an open letter objecting to the event's framing, saying OpenAI recognizes AI's progress in mathematics "is disruptive."
“We recognize that the rapid progress of AI in mathematics is disruptive... After considering concerns raised by members of the mathematics community, we've decided to withdraw OpenAI's sponsorship of the Caltech Mathathon and have notified the organizers.”
Original post
Where this statement fits
Did OpenAI improperly pressure mathematicians over authorship and credit?
Tristan Buckmaster describes pressure over authorship and publication during discussions about competing AI-assisted mathematics results. Sébastien Bubeck disputes that characterization and says the proposed authorship concerned OpenAI's own proof. His apology for career-related wording does not settle the disagreement. Researchers and commentators divide over whether the negotiations were appropriate, while raising a separate dispute about the treatment of unpublished user research.
Source and context
Original post
About this source
OpenAI research scientist Dan Roberts's X post announcing OpenAI's withdrawal of sponsorship from the Caltech Mathathon competition, following an open letter from 771 Caltech-affiliated mathematicians.
Before the quotation
Announcing OpenAI's decision on X.
After the quotation
The withdrawal followed an open letter signed by 771 Caltech-affiliated mathematicians objecting to the event's AI-math framing.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
OpenAI acknowledges the disruption its AI progress has caused the mathematics community and withdraws sponsorship in response to concerns, without directly conceding wrongdoing in the underlying authorship/credit dispute -- a conciliatory but non-admitting response.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- OpenAI
More from this case
Read the full caseAGMAI calls OpenAI's release a first step, not an endorsement
Advisory Group on Mathematics and Artificial Intelligence
“AGMAI’s advisory role should not be interpreted as a judgment of the impact of these results or an endorsement of the process by which OpenAI obtained them.”Read statement
OpenAI describes steps to improve mathematical disclosures
OpenAI
“We will continue to act on feedback from the community and update our standards for future disclosures of major scientific advancements.”Read statement
AGMAI opposes using mathematical releases as marketing
Advisory Group on Mathematics and Artificial Intelligence
“We strongly recommend that AI labs refrain from treating the release of mathematical results as marketing vehicles to promote their models”Read statement
Share or embed this statement
The embed keeps its attribution link to The Dispute Index. Credit the image to The Dispute Index and link to the statement page.
Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- OpenAI withdraws Caltech Mathathon sponsorship after mathematicians object
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/events/876-openai-research-scientist-dan-roberts-announced-that-openai
Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "OpenAI withdraws Caltech Mathathon sponsorship after mathematicians object". First published: 2026-09-17. Last updated: 2026-09-17. https://disputeindex.com/events/876-openai-research-scientist-dan-roberts-announced-that-openai