OpenAI Publishes AI Proof Attempts from Its First Proof Math Challenge

OpenAI has released a set of its AI model’s proof attempts from the First Proof math challenge, an effort focused squarely on testing research-grade reasoning on expert-level problems.

According to the announcement, the shared material consists specifically of the model’s attempts at mathematical proofs. The challenge is framed as a way to probe how well advanced AI systems can handle the kind of rigorous, step-by-step reasoning expected in high-level mathematics.

The First Proof initiative, as described, is not aimed at casual problem-solving but at what OpenAI characterises as “research-grade reasoning.” That phrasing signals an emphasis on depth, precision and logical structure in the model’s work, rather than on quick or approximate answers. The problems involved are described as “expert-level,” underscoring that the benchmark is aligned with challenges typically tackled by specialists rather than students or general audiences.

By sharing the AI’s proof attempts, OpenAI is effectively opening a window into how its model approaches these demanding tasks. While the brief announcement does not detail specific problems, outcomes or error rates, it makes clear that the focus is on the reasoning process itself. Proof attempts in mathematics are valuable not only when they succeed but also when they expose gaps, patterns or partial insights, all of which can be important for evaluating the strengths and limitations of an AI reasoning system.

The publication of these attempts also indicates an interest in transparency around complex model behaviour. Research-grade reasoning in mathematics is one of the more stringent tests of an AI system’s ability to follow long logical chains reliably. Making such attempts visible provides material that researchers, practitioners and observers can study to better understand how the model navigates abstraction, formality and logical structure.

OpenAI’s brief description does not elaborate on how the proof attempts were selected, how performance is being assessed, or what future iterations of the First Proof challenge might entail. It also does not specify how these expert-level problems are sourced, structured or graded. However, by explicitly tying the challenge to “research-grade reasoning,” OpenAI positions this work as part of a broader exploration of whether AI can operate at levels that are relevant to advanced scientific and mathematical inquiry.

The First Proof math challenge, as presented, sits at the intersection of AI and formal reasoning: a domain where even small advances can be significant, but where evaluation must be careful and grounded in rigorous standards. Publishing the model’s proof attempts is a concrete step in that direction, setting the stage for further scrutiny and discussion as the community examines how close or how far current systems are from reliably handling expert-level mathematical reasoning.