Fields Medalist Jacob Tsimerman Joins OpenAI for AI Safety Research

Jacob Tsimerman, a newly named Fields Medalist, said on July 23 that he is shifting to AI safety research and will join OpenAI, according to Jiemian News. Several OpenAI research leaders publicly welcomed his move. Tsimerman’s interest in AI risk is not new: in 2025, he and Andrew Critch co-authored a paper mapping possible paths by which artificial intelligence could bring humanity close to extinction. The paper did not argue that AI-driven human extinction is inevitable, but said it aimed to help spur preventive measures. Tsimerman also said he has stopped taking new mathematics PhD students because he believes AI could surpass mathematicians in mathematical research within the next two years and he does not want to train students for a profession that may soon change dramatically or disappear.