Will it be a golden age or a dark age for mathematics (and science)?

In a thought-provoking post on his personal blog, renowned mathematician Terence Tao explores the potential future of mathematics and science in the era of rapidly advancing artificial intelligence. Tao examines the dual nature of AI's impact, questioning whether these tools will catalyze a golden age of discovery by automating routine tasks and accelerating complex problem-solving, or if they might inadvertently lead to a dark age. He highlights concerns regarding the potential for AI to generate vast amounts of low-quality, unverified research, which could overwhelm the scientific community and obscure genuine breakthroughs. Tao emphasizes that the outcome depends heavily on how researchers adapt to these tools, the evolution of academic incentives, and the development of robust verification methods. Ultimately, he calls for a proactive approach to ensure that human intuition and rigorous peer review remain central to the scientific process while leveraging AI's computational power.