GPT-5.6 used a prompt to close a 30-year gap in convex optimization

old.reddit.com
July 18, 2026
1 min read
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Summary
GPT-5.6 utilized a prompt to bridge a 30-year gap in convex optimization research. This advancement builds on OpenAI's recent proof announcement related to convex optimization.
Coverage & discussions
Hacker News · old.reddit.com
Community discussions
Historical count: 5 · 5 saved in sample · Historical sample
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Community Sentiment
Positives
- Crazy how intelligence is cheap, efficient and commonplace now — this could redefine our roles and values in society.
- This apparently required a 10-page prompt, showing that effective prompts can unlock substantial capabilities in AI.
- The optimization of convex bounded Lipschitz functions is exactly what most modern AI models are based on, highlighting a significant intersection between math and AI.
Concerns
- Some commenters are deeply pessimistic about the future, suggesting banning LLMs to preserve human relevance, which feels dystopian and counterproductive.
- There's a concern that LLMs lack spatial reasoning, which is fundamental for technology and industry, indicating a significant gap in current AI capabilities.
- The infrastructure and training required to achieve these results are massive, challenging the notion that AI is truly 'cheap' and 'efficient'.
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