At the Math Olympiad, Computers Prepare to Go for the Gold

The 61st International Mathematical Olympiad, or IMO, begins today. It may go down in history for at least two reasons: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic it's the first time the event has been held remotely, and it may also be the last time that artificial intelligence doesn't compete. Indeed, researchers view the IMO as the ideal proving ground for machines designed to think like humans. If an AI system can excel here, it will have matched an important dimension of human cognition. "The IMO, to me, represents the hardest class of problems that smart people can be taught to solve somewhat reliably," said Daniel Selsam of Microsoft Research.