Our First Proof submissions

We ran an internal model on all 10 First Proof⁠(opens in a new window) problems, a research-level math challenge designed to test whether AI systems can produce correct, checkable proof attempts. Unlike short-answer or competition-style math, these problems require building end-to-end arguments in specialized domains, and correctness is hard to establish without expert review. The authors of the First Proof problems are leading experts in their respective fields, and at least a couple of the problems were open for years before the authors found solutions. An academic department that has substantial overlap with the subject areas could conceivably solve many of the problems in one week.

We shared⁠(opens in a new window) our proof attempts on Saturday, February 14, 2026 at 12:00 AM PT. Based on feedback from experts, we believe at least five of the model’s proof attempts (problems 4, 5, 6, 9, and 10) have a high chance of being correct, and several others remain under review. We initially believed our attempt for problem 2 was likely correct. Based on the official First Proof commentary and further community analysis, we now believe it is incorrect. We’re grateful for the engagement and look forward to continued review. Our full set of proof attempts can be found here⁠(opens in a new window). The preprint includes all ten proof attempts, plus a newly added appendix with prompt patterns and examples that aim to simulate our manual interactions with the models during the process.

– James R. Lee (OpenAI Researcher, Reasoning)

We look forward to deeper engagement with the community on how to evaluate research-grade reasoning, including expert feedback on these attempts, and we’re excited to make these new capabilities available in future public models.