In an article for the Financial Times, Ewan Kirk argues that mathematics is the essential foundation for artificial intelligence and that greater recognition and sustained investment in the mathematical community are critical to turning AI ambition into real economic and societal value.
Amid widespread excitement and investment in AI technologies, Ewan cautions that hype alone cannot deliver durable progress without strong mathematical underpinnings.
He explains that modern AI systems are, at their core, mathematical constructs. Neural networks rely on advanced linear algebra, optimisation theory, statistics and calculus, while machine learning itself sits squarely within applied mathematics. Data may fuel AI, but mathematics defines how that data is interpreted and transformed into insight, with computer science providing the tools for implementation.
Ewan concludes that mathematics represents one of the most cost-effective investments available for long-term innovation, productivity and leadership in AI. Proven mathematical ideas endure for centuries, continuously generating value across industries. To fully realise the promise of AI – both now and beyond any future market corrections – he argues that stronger support for mathematics education, research and talent development is indispensable.
Read the full article here.
“Research by the Campaign for Mathematical Sciences has shown the proportion of maths students is shrinking, and that in the next 10 years, the number of maths graduates is forecast to fall — at the very time when we need them most.”
"Mathematics is the most cost-effective route to intellectual, ethical and technical leadership in this field (AI)."
