What's the Future for Pure Math Research in the Age of AI?

# Summary The article discusses how AI is reshaping pure mathematics research, with the author arguing that while AI tools are valuable for retrieving information and making connections across mathematical literature, they do not diminish the core purpose of pure mathematics. The author contends that pure mathematics is fundamentally about abstract rational thought and building intellectual structures, not merely solving problems or producing proofs—a distinction often misunderstood in current discussions about AI replacing mathematicians. Drawing parallels to how Mathematica's introduction in 1988 raised rather than eliminated mathematical research, the author suggests AI will similarly enhance rather than replace the human role in mathematics.