Mathematician Behind Fields Medal Launches Institute for AI Safety Research

Jacob Tsimerman, the Fields Medal winner for 2026, has founded the Mathematical AI Safety Institute (MAISI), a new research body focused on developing rigorous mathematical frameworks to understand and mitigate AI risks. MAISI was launched on September 8, 2026.

Tsimerman will serve as the institute's Scientific Director while also joining OpenAI's safety department in September 2026. However, MAISI will operate independently from the company.

The institute is modeled after traditional mathematical research institutes and plans to begin operations in January 2027 with an initial cohort of 10 to 30 mathematicians. A 'special year' program is slated for September 2027, scaling up to 30 to 100 researchers for an intensive research period.