OpenAI Announces Three Scientific Breakthroughs with 'Shepherd' Model, Faces Criticism Over Gatekeeping
OpenAI revealed major findings in math, CS, and physics using a new expert-led verification process, but researchers criticize the restricted access model.
US-based AI company OpenAI announced on October 26, 2026, three significant breakthroughs in mathematics, computer science, and physics, introducing a new release mechanism where external experts act as "shepherds" to organize and interpret the AI-generated raw research data. However, this approach has drawn sharp criticism from the academic community, with several prominent scholars accusing OpenAI of monopolizing early access by handpicking specific experts, thereby violating principles of open scientific transparency.
According to The Verge, the three results concern the local smoothing conjecture in harmonic analysis (resolving the Kakeya conjecture), the refutation of the Exponential Time Hypothesis (ETH) in computational complexity, and an existence proof for Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD). For the mathematical result, OpenAI directly released the AI output and Lean formalization; for the computer science finding, it formed a collaboration group led by experts including Russell Impagliazzo, committing to publicize all raw data; for the physics result, OpenAI deferred the release timing entirely to the external expert group.
While some experts, such as Brown University professor Brendan Hassett, noted that the mathematical claim "looks well supported," many researchers expressed dissatisfaction with the tiered disclosure method. Constantin Kogler, a researcher at the Institute for Advanced Study, stated, "It doesn't make any sense that first only a few distinguished scientists can look at them." Andreas Karch, a physics professor at the University of Texas at Austin, was more blunt: "The fact that they handpick the group is a disaster... The large labs have enough power as it is. They should not be picking winners and losers."