When A.I. Comes for Your Purpose in Life

About this episode

<p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>Guest: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/steven-strogatz" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Steven Strogatz</strong></a>, a professor of mathematics at Cornell University who writes for The New York Times about the future of research.</p><p>Background reading:&nbsp;</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/22/science/math-ai-history-understanding.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mathematics isn’t just a game to let A.I. solve</a> — history shows why.</li><li>A.I. is mastering the kinds of projects that have long helped to build the careers of young mathematicians. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/08/science/ai-scoop-young-mathematicians.html?searchResultPosition=4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">What does that mean for their future?</a></li><li>Steven Strogatz’s forthcoming book: <a href="https://www.stevenstrogatz.com/books/big-math-the-hidden-codes-that-run-our-world" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Big Math</a>.</li></ul><p>Photo: Ian C. Bates for The New York Times</p><p>For more information on today’s episode, visit <a href="http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily" rel="noopener noreferrer">nytimes.com/thedaily</a>. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.&nbsp;</p> <p><p>For more information on today’s episode, visit <a href="http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily"><strong>nytimes.com/thedaily</strong></a>. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. </p><p> </p><p>Subscribe today at <a href="http://nytimes.com/podcasts">nytimes.com/podcasts</a> or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher">https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher</a>. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.</p></p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>