AI refutes Exponential Time Hypothesis

An announcement is circulating that an AI system (reported by OpenAI) has produced a claimed refutation of the Exponential Time Hypothesis (ETH), a central conjecture in complexity theory. If correct, the result would reshape assumptions about hardness, algorithm design, and the role of machine‑generated proofs in theoretical computer science. — A machine claim overturning a foundational complexity conjecture would force debates about verification standards, the authority of AI‑produced proofs, and how academic credit and research funding should be allocated.