Astra solved 10 decades-old problems on a rounding error of compute

The GPT-6 Astra model found proofs for ten problems in mathematics and theoretical computer science that had remained unsolved for decades, reportedly spending a few thousand dollars of compute. The author notes an economic shift: the cost of attempting complex intellectual work is falling to the price of compute.

• Astra produced proofs for 10 problems unsolved for decades
• Compute costs were a few thousand dollars
• Cost of attempting complex work shifts from salaries to cloud bills
• Risk: cheap runs without verification become large expenses