Summary & Key Takeaways ​

• Jake Boggan spent 24 years intermittently working on Barnette's Conjecture.
• He recently learned the conjecture was supposedly solved by an AI (OpenAI/math).
• He describes a profound sadness, comparing it to hearing an ex-girlfriend died.
• The piece explores the complex emotional impact of AI's intellectual achievements on human endeavor.

Our Commentary ​

This one hit me. I've spent years on problems, not 24, but enough to feel that gut punch. It's not just about the solution, is it? It's the journey, the struggle, the identity tied to the pursuit. AI takes that away. We're left with the answer, but what about the human story? I don't know how to process this. It's a strange, quiet kind of grief.