Justin Sun Prize Launches New Round Celebrating Human-AI Math Teamwork

Geneva, Switzerland — October 5, 2026 — The latest winners of the Justin Sun Prize were revealed today by the Office of Justin Sun. The honorees include independent number theorist Wouter van Doorn, mathematics Ph.D. student Quanyu Tang, and Yanyang Li, a mathematics researcher at Nanjing’s Southeast University, who are being recognized for their breakthroughs across six Erdős problems.

Wouter van Doorn started his mathematical journey as an undergraduate in 2010 and has continued publishing and collaborating independently since earning his master’s degree. Quanyu Tang (汤泉宇) is pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of Science and Technology of China, focusing on combinatorics, number theory, and the use of artificial intelligence in mathematical exploration.

Originally posed or popularized by the Hungarian mathematician Paul Erdős, Erdős problems deal with mathematical structures, patterns, and numbers. Although frequently straightforward to formulate, they can challenge researchers for decades and have heavily influenced combinatorics and number theory. Thomas Bloom, a Royal Society University Research Fellow and mathematician at the University of Manchester, compiles and oversees the official Erdős catalog, which features upwards of 1,200 problems.

Collaborating with Yanyang Li from the School of Mathematics at Southeast University in Nanjing, Van Doorn and Tang successfully solved Erdős Problem #650, which establishes the exact count of integers that can always be paired with distinct multiples inside a given interval. Furthermore, Van Doorn generated computer-checkable proofs using the verification software Lean for three additional challenges: problem #369, concerning consecutive integers constrained by restricted prime factors; #457, evaluating whether a short sequence of consecutive integers can collectively encompass every prime within a specified range; and #469, investigating whether the reciprocals of a unique category of numbers—expressible as sums of their divisors—sum to a finite value.

On his own, Tang tackled #1044, determining a strict lower bound for the boundary lengths of polynomial-defined regions. He also joined Li and a broader team to solve #1196, which places bounds on weighted sums across integer sets where no individual element divides another.

Their collaborative breakthrough on problem #650 highlights the synergy between human expertise and artificial intelligence. While ChatGPT assisted in formulating the proof strategy, the mathematical reasoning AI system Aristotle fixed a gap during the Lean formalization process. Afterward, the researchers streamlined the argument and drafted the final proofs and explanations.

“This experience taught me how public feedback can sharpen a research question, and how AI-assisted discovery can combine mathematical judgment, collaboration and rigorous verification,” Tang said.

Marking the program’s inaugural confirmed awards, these prizes honor both original mathematical discoveries and the rigorous efforts required to render proofs independently verifiable. Additional details regarding the prize, the problem list, and the laureates’ achievements can be found on the program’s official GitHub repository.

Recipients may receive their prize payouts in either USDT on TRON (TRC-20) or USDC on Ethereum (ERC-20). More details are available at www.hejustinsun.com/prize. 

About the Office of Justin Sun

The Office of Justin Sun manages Justin Sun’s global philanthropic, commercial, and public initiatives spanning blockchain, technology, artificial intelligence, scientific investigation, investment, space exploration, and art. 

As the founder of TRON and former Permanent Representative and Ambassador of Grenada to the World Trade Organization, Justin Sun leads a blockchain network that has handled over $13 trillion in volume, making it a foundational platform for the stablecoin movement. People across emerging markets heavily depend on USDT on TRON to connect with the global financial grid.

Trained as a protégé under Alibaba founder Jack Ma, Sun has earned international acclaim within the digital asset sector, securing a Forbes cover profile in April 2025 alongside multiple mentions on the Forbes 30 Under 30 roster. He also ventured into space in August 2025 as the 712th person in history to fly into space aboard Blue Origin’s NS-34 mission. His diverse passions span gaming, technology, philanthropy, art, investment, and space exploration.

Office of Justin Sun Contact:

info@hejustinsun.com 

About Justin Sun Prize 

The Justin Sun Prize is an academic initiative established by Justin Sun to support advances in mathematics, formal verification, and AI-assisted scientific discovery. The prize is decentralized and built around the principle that mathematical work should be judged by the strength, rigor, and verifiability of the proof itself, not the prestige or reputation of those submitting it.

Justin Sun established the prize in his own name as a long-term commitment to return wealth created through mathematics and technology back to mathematics itself. Its legacy is intended to be defined by the body of work it recognizes and the laureates whose discoveries stand the test of time. The prize links clearly defined mathematical challenges to machine-verifiable proof. Its guiding principles are openness, public benefit and open-source access.

Visit https://www.hejustinsun.com/prize for more information. 

Contact:

thejustinsunprize@hejustinsun.com

Short FAQs

What are the Justin Sun Prizes honoring in this round?
This round honors independent researcher Wouter van Doorn, Ph.D. student Quanyu Tang, and researcher Yanyang Li for their contributions to solving six Erdős problems.

How did artificial intelligence contribute to solving these math problems?
ChatGPT helped build the proof strategy for Erdős Problem #650, while an AI reasoning system named Aristotle corrected a gap during the Lean formalization process.

What software was used to create computer-checkable proofs?
The mathematical reasoning verification software Lean was used by Wouter van Doorn to produce computer-checkable proofs for problems #369, #457, and #469.

How are the prize winnings paid out to recipients?
Prizes are distributed in either USDT on TRON (TRC-20) or USDC on Ethereum (ERC-20), based on the preference of each recipient.

Where can people find more information about the Justin Sun Prize catalog and contributions?
Details can be accessed via the program’s public GitHub repository or by visiting www.hejustinsun.com/prize.