🧮 AI solves 30-year-old math mystery

Good morning, AI enthusiast. AI just cracked a 30-year-old math problem, showing AI might finally be stepping into the “vibe proving” era.

In today’s AI newsletter:

• AI solves a 30-Year Math problem overnight

• Quantum is entering its breakthrough phase

• A new molecule that de-ages skin in 28 days

• How to find free open-source alternatives for any software

• AI tools & more

AI NEWS

🧮 AI Solves a 30-Year Math Problem Overnight

HarmonicMath’s AI “Aristotle” independently solved Erdős Problem #124, a combinatorial math challenge that’s puzzled humans for decades. Using reinforcement learning, Monte Carlo tree search, and Lean formal proofs, the AI produced a 100% verifiable solution with zero human help.

• Problem #124 had stumped mathematicians since 1995, testing the limits of combinatorial math

• Aristotle took only 6 hours to find a solution; verification in Lean took 1 minute

• Terence Tao and other experts praised the AI’s performance as groundbreaking

• ChatGPT and Gemini failed to produce new results or literature insights

Aristotle represents a new era of “vibe proving,” where AI tackles low-hanging and previously inaccessible math problems. This could free human mathematicians to focus on deeper challenges while AI lights up the “dark forest” of mathematics.

QUANTUM COMPUTING

🧪 Quantum Is Entering Its Breakthrough Phase

In a recent BBC interview, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said quantum computing is now where AI was five years ago, right before the world shifted. He believes the field is approaching a tipping point that could trigger another wave of exponential progress.

• Pichai says quantum is “five years away” from an AI-level breakthrough

• Google’s program is hitting a critical stage, with major investment behind it

• Focus is on simulating nature more precisely, unlocking new materials, cleaner energy, and better drug discovery

• Google’s “Quantum Echoes” algorithm on its Willow chip can already outperform classical supercomputers in specific tasks

• Pichai calls quantum a “fundamental shift,” not just another upgrade

When a Big Tech CEO goes on record giving a timeline for quantum’s commercial moment, investors and scientists pay attention. If quantum really is approaching its 2018-AI phase, we could be five years away from breakthroughs that reshape encryption, chemistry, logistics, climate modeling, basically, the foundations of society.

SCIENCE

💆‍♀️ A New Molecule That De-Ages Skin in 28 Days

A new clinical study has found that pterostilbene, a powerful antioxidant, can visibly reverse signs of aging when applied topically, delivering noticeably firmer, smoother, younger-looking skin in just four weeks.

• 31 participants (ages 32–53) used 0.1% pterostilbene emulsion twice daily on one side of the face

• The treated side became firmer and more elastic vs. placebo

• Visible wrinkles decreased, pores appeared smaller, and skin texture improved

• Imaging showed thicker epidermis, plus boosted collagen and elastic fibers

• Dermatologists say it may outperform current gold standards like retinol

If follow-up studies confirm these results, pterostilbene could become the next major anti-aging molecule, ushering in a world where “looking 25” becomes the default, not the exception.

HOW TO AI

🗂️ How to Find Free Open-Source Alternatives for any Software

In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to discover powerful open-source replacements for the paid apps you use every day, a method that lets you reduce subscription costs, upgrade your workflow, and access tools you never knew existed.

🧰 Who is This For

• People replacing paid SaaS tools with free options

• Builders setting up new projects

• Creators looking to cut recurring costs

• Anyone who wants flexible, customizable software

STEP 1: Access the Tool

Head over to OpenApps. At the top of the homepage, you’ll find a section labeled “Alternative To.”

This is where the directory organizes thousands of open-source tools as direct replacements for commercial products.

Click into this section and let the full list load. You’ll see all top AI tools, productivity apps, CMS systems, automation platforms, developer tools, and many more.

STEP 2: Search for the Software

Inside the “Alternative To” page, you’ll find a search bar at the middle.

Type the name of any paid software you currently use like Notion, ChatGPT, Claude, Airtable, Figma, or anything else.

Once you enter the tool, just click on the result.

The directory instantly returns a curated list of open-source alternatives with descriptions, features, and links

STEP 3: Explore the Alternatives in Detail

Click on any alternative to open its full profile. Each page explains what the tool does, how it works, its unique features, and where you can download or self-host it.

You’ll typically find details such as platform support, community activity, update frequency, and compatibility.

Take your time reviewing different options so you can identify the one that fits your workflow best.

STEP 4: Integrate the Tool Into Your Workflow

Once you’ve chosen an open-source alternative, start using it in place of the paid app.

If the tool supports imports, migrate your existing data or content. If it offers self-hosting, deploy it to your preferred server or hosting provider.

Many alternatives also provide web versions, desktop apps, or API integrations, making it easy to adopt them without friction.
After setup, rely on it for your daily tasks and evaluate how well it replaces the commercial tool you used before.

Researchers unveil PropensityBench, a benchmark showing how stressors like shorter deadlines increase misbehavior in agentic AI models during task completion.

Anthropic says over 60% of its business customers use more than one Claude product, a trend it began noticing after Claude Code's rise in popularity.

Elon Musk’s xAI is reportedly set to raise a $15B round of funding at a $230B pre-money valuation next month, CNBC reported.

German AI startup Black Forest Labs, which develops the open-source Flux image models, raised $300M at a $3.25B valuation.

🍌 Nano Banana 2: Google’s Gemini 3 image model with perfect text and character consistency

📸 Perplexity: Now lets you virtually try on products while you search

🧮 Math V2 by DeepSeek: A smarter, open-source model for tough math

🤖 Claude Opus 4.5: Anthropic’s new flagship model for coding, agents, and real computer use

THAT’S IT FOR TODAY

Thanks for making it to the end! I put my heart into every email I send, I hope you are enjoying it. Let me know your thoughts so I can make the next one even better!

See you tomorrow :)

- Dr. Alvaro Cintas