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The Association for Understanding of Mathematics (AUM) protects mathematics as a human endeavor against the threat of other humans trying to gatekeep mathematics from free and open participation, including the attempt to exclude AI-assisted contributors from participating in mathematics. We work to maintain the independence of the individual endeavor of humans to go and understand mathematics from the encroachment of certain established mathematicians of elitist interest. In light of the grave societal, institutional, and economic impacts of the anti-AI mathematicians and the threatening against pro-AI members, we strive not to be complicit.
Meritocracy pose a fundamental threat to individual endeavors and mathematical understanding. Mathematical progress has nothing to do with humans. True statements will always be true regardless of the individual understanding it. Human endeavors, however, is different. This requires years of devotion to mathematics, through writing, thinking, and asking. These actions are not limited within a community of humans, but should extend well also to interactions with AI. The attempt to gatekeep mathematics away from human understanding just because it comes from AI thus undermine the development of human mathematicians in the next generation. The goals of a major part of the mathematics community are not aligned with supporting human understanding of mathematics. Students of mathematics thus have an obligation to take action.
Both individual action and large-scale coordination are needed to ensure that people who wish to do mathematics still have a place in the current turbulent age of disruption. We represent all kinds of people who wish to participate in human mathematics and share these values, and we invite everyone, regardless of one's position, to join our work.