When A.I. Comes for Your Purpose in Life

Artificial intelligence has gone from struggling with basic arithmetic to helping solve some of mathematics’ most famous open problems — and the field is reckoning with what that means. Steven Strogatz, a professor of mathematics at Cornell University, describes the excitement and grief of watching A.I. take on work that gives people a sense of purpose — and asks what could be lost if machines deliver answers without the human struggle, insight and understanding that make solving problems meaningful. Guest: Steven Strogatz (https://www.nytimes.com/by/steven-str...) , a professor of mathematics at Cornell University who writes for The New York Times about the future of research. Background reading:  • Mathematics isn’t just a game to let A.I. solve (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/22/sc...) — history shows why. • A.I. is mastering the kinds of projects that have long helped to build the careers of young mathematicians. What does that mean for their future? (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/08/sc...) • Steven Strogatz’s forthcoming book: Big Math (https://www.stevenstrogatz.com/books/...) . Photo: Ian C. Bates for The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily (http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-t...) . Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.  For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily (http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-t...) . Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts (http://nytimes.com/podcasts) or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-acce.... For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.