After turning a string of spectacular mathematical results into a reputational crisis, OpenAI is consulting human mathematicians to help it figure out a less disastrous path forward. On Monday, the company announced a new independent panel of mathematicians tasked with advising it and other AI companies on their interactions with mathematical research and the wider mathematics community, including how new results are presented and released. Its abrupt arrival caught many mathematicians by surprise. Researchers told The Verge the group is a good first step, but many said they were left with basic questions about what it will actually do, how it will be structured, and who will sit on the panel. Will the panel consist of a mix of applied and pure mathematicians, or will it lean heavily toward one side? Will they address the hype surrounding AI-generated proofs, or will they just scratch the surface? Some skeptics wonder if OpenAI has simply hired mathematicians to validate its existing AI narrative, rather than truly consulting them on how to avoid future fumbles. The panel’s effectiveness may hinge on whether it challenges the status quo—like questioning if AI can truly “understand” mathematics—or simply nods along, patting OpenAI on the back for its impressive but perhaps overblown achievements. With the mathematics community known for its rigorous scrutiny, the panel better be ready to dissect AI’s claims with the same sharpness as a proofreader’s red pen, lest OpenAI’s next big mathematical breakthrough turns into another public relations disaster.