Workshop as part of the Collaborative Research Grant on “On Proofs and Partnerships: How AI, Big Data, and Proof Assistants are Transforming Mathematical Practices” (2026-27)

Organizers: Michael Friedman (Bonn University), Deborah Kent (University St. Andrews)

Fields medallist Timothy Gowers recently observed how AI-based technologies produce “non-obvious constructions” that require retroactive rather than anticipatory explanation, significantly altering the temporal structure of mathematical insight and intuition. This statement reflects a broader and fundamental 21st-century transformation: the integration of proof assistants, big data sets, and AI technologies in mathematical practices. This workshop will contextualize these developments in a longer arc of debate about the relationship between human cognition and computational aids in mathematical discovery.

Time Schedule:

16. Juni: 9:00 - 16:00 Uhr
17. Juni: 9:00 - 14:00 Uhr

External guests are welcome!

Participants:

• Deborah Kent (St Andrews, UK)
• Ursula Martin (University of Oxford, UK)
• Deniz Sarikaya (Brussels Universität)
• Edwin Brady (St Andrews, UK)
• Christopher Birkbeck  (University of East Anglia, UK)
• Stefania Centrone (TU Munich)
• Markus Pantsar (RWTH, Aachen)
• Daniel Wenz (RWTH, Aachen)
• Jim Portegies (Eindhoven University of Technology)
• Hannes Junker (Bonn University)
• Floris van Doorn (Bonn University)
• Michael Friedman (Bonn University)