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math.columbia.edu
February 24, 2026
2 min read
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57/100
Summary
Data from December 2022 to December 2025 shows a steady increase in submissions, with numbers rising from 800 in 2022 to 855 in 2025. From January 1 to February 15, 2026, submissions reached 617, indicating a year-over-year growth trend.
Key Takeaways
- The number of hep-th arXiv submissions has shown significant year-to-year increases, with submissions nearly doubling in the last couple of months compared to stable numbers from previous years.
- AI agents are expected to change the landscape of academic publishing by producing papers indistinguishable in quality from those currently authored by graduate students and postdocs.
- The difficulty in distinguishing between human and AI-generated comments is increasing, leading to challenges in moderating discussions.
- The article suggests that AI could be more effective in analyzing submission data and recognizing AI-generated papers than human researchers.
Coverage & discussions
Hacker News · math.columbia.edu
Community discussions
Community Sentiment
Positives
- The recent doubling of submission numbers indicates a growing interest and engagement in AI research, suggesting that the field is rapidly evolving and attracting more contributors.
Concerns
- Concerns about peer review integrity highlight potential biases against 'outsider' researchers, which could stifle innovation and the acceptance of high-quality work in AI.




