Humans triumph over AI in global math competition
To the surprise of proponents of artificial intelligence, 563 teams who used AI to solve problems failed to achieve the necessary scores to progress beyond the preliminary stage of the 2024 Global Alibaba Mathematics Competition.
Throughout the 48-hour initial phase of the competition, both AI teams and human contestants tackled identical test questions, including multiple-choice, problem-solving, and proof-based queries. To ensure fairness, teams using AI were required to submit their results beforehand to prevent any possibility of dishonest practices.
However, the competition's organising committee revealed that the highest score of the AI competitors was 34, leaving its average score at 18 and matching the average standard set by human participants. In sharp contrast, a human contestant's highest score was 113.
According to Global Times, a 17-year-old Chinese girl from a vocational high school ranked 12th in the Alibaba Math Competition.
Jiang Ping stands out as the first vocational high school student from East China's Jiangsu Province, majoring in fashion, to make it to the final round of the competition against peers from prestigious universities such as MIT, Tsinghua, and Peking.
She showcased notable mathematical abilities during her middle school years. However, her high school entrance exam results were less impressive, prompting her decision to attend a vocational school. However, her aptitude for math drew the notice of her instructor, Wang Runqiu, who then encouraged Jiang to independently pursue advanced math studies at the college level.
Alizila, the news-based platform of Alibaba reported in March 2024 that it had opened applications for math enthusiasts to participate in the 2024 competition.
The online contest does not require any academic qualifications for entry but rather welcomes Mathematics fanatics from different backgrounds.
"Math enthusiasts from all backgrounds can register from this week until early April on the website of Alibaba’s research institute DAMO Academy. Entrants must pass a preliminary round based on real-world math problems before reaching the final, which tests foundational math skills across five subject areas, all conducted online," the announcement revealed.
Additionally, this year marked the maiden inclusion of AI-powered entrants in the competition.
According to the Alibaba Global Mathematics Competition organising committee, "The introduction of AI brings a new perspective to the competition, helping the public become more aware of the capabilities of AI in logical thinking and problem-solving.”
