Justin Sun announces prize winners, but no money has been paid out
Three people solved six math problems. They still haven't been paid.
Justin Sun has been announcing winners of the Justin Sun Prize over the past week. The award was created to recognize mathematicians who solve long-standing math problems using artificial intelligence.
According to the prize website, six problems have been solved by three individuals. But it is still not clear what those winners will receive or when they will get paid.
How the prize money is split
The prize was originally announced as being worth one million dollars in stablecoins, which are cryptocurrencies pegged to a real-world currency like the US dollar.
However, that one-million figure only applies to problems Sun calls "pinnacle problems." There are only seven of those. The site lists more than one thousand problems in total.
For the remaining 1,015 problems, the site says prize amounts will be set by an "Academic Committee." The article does not say who is on that committee or how the payouts will be decided.
What we know for sure
- Three individuals have solved six problems on the Justin Sun Prize site.
- Winners were announced over the past week.
- The one-million-dollar prize in stablecoins is reserved for seven "pinnacle problems" only.
- It is unconfirmed whether any money has been paid out to date.
- Prize amounts for the other 1,015 problems will be set by an Academic Committee, whose members and methods are not public.
What is still unclear
The composition and decision-making process of the Academic Committee are unknown. It is also unclear when, or if, payouts for non-pinnacle problems will be made. Earlier reporting from Protos noted that Sun provided no proof of funds when first announcing the prize.
Why this matters
The prize aimed to attract attention and credibility to AI-assisted mathematics. Without transparent payout details, questions remain about whether the project can deliver on its original promise beyond the top-tier problems.
What comes next
No timeline has been provided for prize payments. The prize website has not yet disclosed the Academic Committee's membership or its compensation framework for the bulk of its listed problems.
Sources
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