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AI for Math Fund Grant Proposals

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21 views6 pages

AI for Math Fund Grant Proposals

Uploaded by

沈嘉辰
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Request for Proposals: AI for Math Fund

Introduction

The AI for Math Fund is a new grant program for projects applying artificial intelligence and
machine learning methods to mathematics, particularly regarding automated theorem proving.

Recently there has been a great deal of progress in formalizing and computationally verifying
mathematical proofs, using proof assistants like Lean, Coq, HOL/Isabelle, Agda, and others.
While this is a labor-intensive process, it is gradually becoming more efficient (and more
human-understandable) through automation, including machine learning methods. As proof
assistants become more usable and powerful, they are beginning to show value as tools for
mathematicians. These advances also have potential applications in fields such as secure code
generation, solvers, and Partial Differential Equations.

The purpose of this grant program is to accelerate the development of automated theorem
proving and its use in advancing mathematics, particularly by enabling types of work that are not
adequately supported by either funding from traditional science agencies or industry.

About Renaissance Philanthropy

Renaissance Philanthropy’s mission is to fuel a 21st century renaissance by increasing the


ambition of philanthropists, scientists, and innovators. It does this by advising philanthropists,
surfacing breakthrough ideas, and incubating ambitious initiatives. Its aim is to activate a
virtuous loop of increasing ambition and impact between philanthropists and innovators: by
identifying frontier experts both in science and in new ways of solving problems; by tapping into
the growing number of emerging philanthropists; and by building multi-sector initiatives that can
harness the power of philanthropists, markets, and governments.

Grant Details and Eligibility

A total of $9.2M is available for grants. Individual grants may be up to $1M each and are
intended to support 12-24 months of work.

Grant-supported work must be made publicly available (open-source code, open-access papers
and datasets) and, if it is done within a for-profit company, must be work that would not have
been done counterfactually in the absence of grant funding. More details about these policies
are in the application instructions and the section below on Intellectual Property and Data
Sharing Policies.

Applicants may be either individuals or teams.


Successful applicants will typically have a demonstrated track record of achievement in at least
one, and ideally several, of:

● formal verification methods


● proof assistants
● dependent type theory
● AI/machine learning

Project Topics

The AI for Math Fund will consider grant applications for projects in the following areas.
Examples are provided for illustrative purposes only.

1. Tools

Projects that develop open-source, production-quality software tools in the intersection of AI and
mathematics, such as:

● AI-based autoformalization tools for translating natural-language mathematics into the


formalisms of proof assistants
● AI-based auto-informalization tools for translating proof-assistant proofs into interpretable
natural-language mathematics
● AI-based models for suggesting tactics/steps or relevant concepts to the user of a proof
assistant, or for generating entire proofs
● Infrastructure to connect proof assistants with computer algebra systems, calculus, and
PDEs
● A large-scale, AI-enhanced distributed collaboration platform for mathematicians

2. Datasets

Projects to produce open-source datasets for training AI models, such as:

● Datasets of formalized theorems and proofs in a proof assistant


● Datasets that would advance AI for theorem proving as applied to program verification
and secure code generation
● Datasets of (natural-language) mathematical problems, theorems, proofs, exposition, etc
● Benchmarks and training environments associated with datasets and model tasks
(autoformalization, premise selection, tactic or proof generation, etc)
An existing project (Project Numina) is working on creating datasets of formal and informal
mathematics (problem/solution pairs), non-contaminated benchmarks, and reasoning
benchmarks for LLMs. Teams should not propose projects that would duplicate this initiative.

3. Field Building

Projects that grow the field of AI for math, such as:


● Textbooks
● Courses
● Documentation and support for proof assistants, and interfaces/APIs to integrate with AI
tools

4. Breakthrough Ideas

High-risk, high-return ideas for applying AI to fundamental mathematics and applications, such
as:

● Expected difficulty estimation (of sub-problems of a proof)


● Novel mathematical implications of proofs formalized type-theoretically
● Formalization of proof complexity in proof assistants

Application Process

The first step of the application process is a simple webform which should take less than an
hour to fill out.

If your application passes an initial round of screening, you will be invited to submit a more
detailed written proposal for further evaluation by our advisors.

If your proposed project is being undertaken within a for-profit company, there will be an
additional documentation requirement regarding the work being an open-source, free,
public-facing project that would not have been undertaken in the usual course of business.

Applications will be evaluated on:


● Applicants’ track record of achievement in AI, formal verification, and/or mathematics
● Proposed projects’ potential to advance the field of AI-for-math and its applications
● Proposed projects’ neglectedness by traditional funding mechanisms

Applications will be reviewed by our advisors, who range from prominent mathematicians and
tech industry veterans to experts in the AI-for-math field.
The deadline for submitting the webform is January 10, 2025.

The deadline for submitting invited proposals is March 3rd, 2025. Instructions for invited
proposals are here.

Application decisions will be made by approximately April 7-11, 2025.*

A submission of application does not guarantee selection

*The timeline for the grant process is subject to change at Renaissance Philanthropy’s sole
discretion.

Intellectual Property and Data Sharing Policies

All code produced by AI for Math Fund-supported projects must be released under an
open-source license (e.g. MIT, GNU GPL, etc).

All datasets produced by AI for Math Fund-supported projects must be shared in an open-access
repository with appropriate documentation.

All research outputs, including but not limited to journal articles, conference papers, and
technical reports, produced by AI for Math Fund-supported projects must share preprints in an
open-access database such as arXiv at the time of submission to any journal or conference.

Copyright for all intellectual property produced by AI for Math Fund-supported projects will remain
with the original creators, subject to the above requirements.

The particular open-source license and repository will be agreed with Renaissance Philanthropy
in advance of the project commencing.

All publications, presentations, and other research outputs resulting from this grant must include
an acknowledgment of the funding source. The suggested format is:
"This work was supported by [Grant Number] from The AI for Math Fund."

Indirect Costs
We require all awardees, unless otherwise agreed to in the terms of the award agreement, to
refrain from using award funds to pay for any indirect costs, and there shall be no allocation of
indirect costs to an award, in each case, unless expressly agreed in writing in the agreement to
permit the award to be spent on indirect costs. In other words, the awardee should not include
any indirect costs in an award’s budget unless expressly agreed.
In cases where an indirect-cost allocation is allowed per the terms of the award agreement, then
the following rules shall apply except as otherwise expressly set forth in the applicable award
agreement:

● indirect costs may not exceed 10% of the total award;


● the allocation rate must be approved in advance by the program manager or other office;
and
● the indirect-cost allocation must be included as a line item in the project budget

Geographic Restrictions

Applications are open to residents of the US and worldwide, except for residents of:
● Crimea
● the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR)
● the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic (LNR)
● Cuba
● Iran
● Syria
● North Korea
● or anyone subject to U.S. export controls or US, UK, or European Union sanctions.

Confidentiality Policy

No proposals or other materials or information submitted or provided by applicants in connection


with the Grant process, including any proposals, documents and communications (collectively,
the “Submitted Information”) will be considered confidential information of the applicants, except
as specifically provided in the terms of any then-current posted privacy policy. Renaissance may
disclose any Submitted Information to the Competition Entities and each of their employees,
contractors, consultants, independent subject matter experts, judges and other organizations
without restriction, including to evaluate proposals . Please carefully consider the information
included in the Submission Materials. If you have any doubt about the wisdom of disclosure of
any confidential or proprietary information, you should consult with your legal counsel and take
any steps you deem necessary to protect your confidential information or intellectual property.

Release of Liability

Applicants agree to and hereby release Renaissance Philanthropy from and against all liability
with respect to or in any way arising from by tax liabilities and/or use of your name, likeness,
voice, or any materials you submit for participation in the Grant process, including, but not
limited to, any claim based on publicity rights, defamation, invasion of privacy, copyright
infringement, trademark infringement or any other intellectual property-related cause of action, or
otherwise in connection with or related to the Grant.

The terms of the grant are subject to change at any time. We will use commercially reasonable
efforts to notify you of any changes to these Terms, including by posting the modified Terms on
our website at [Link] (the “Site”). Your
continued participation in the grant solicitation process after the posting of changes to these
Terms constitutes your binding acceptance of such changes to these Terms. You should check
the Site frequently for any updates to these Terms. If at any time you do not agree with these
Terms, please immediately withdraw from the process.

Contact Information

aiformath@[Link]

Common questions

Powered by AI

The AI for Math Fund ensures transparency and accountability through specific grant usage requirements and publication mandates. Indirect costs are generally not allowed in the grant's budget unless expressly agreed upon, capped at 10% if permitted, and must be approved as a budget line item. This policy minimizes ambiguities and ensures funds are directly used for project execution. Furthermore, all outputs must be shared under open-source agreements and distributed in open-access repositories like arXiv. This mandatory openness of results and funding acknowledgments in publications guarantees transparent dissemination and accountability of research outcomes .

Open-source software development plays a crucial role in the AI for Math Fund's aims as it ensures that the tools and datasets developed are publicly accessible and can be continually improved upon by the global community. This openness is significant because it accelerates innovation and collaboration among researchers by minimizing barriers to entry and fostering a shared platform for experimentation and development. By requiring outputs to be open-source, the AI for Math Fund promotes transparency, knowledge sharing, and widespread application of AI solutions in mathematics, enabling broader contributions from diverse sectors .

The main objectives of the AI for Math Fund are to accelerate the development of automated theorem proving and its application in advancing mathematics. This includes improving the usability and efficiency of proof assistants and using machine learning methods to make formalized mathematical proofs more human-understandable. The fund is expected to support projects that are inadequately funded by traditional science agencies, thereby advancing the field of AI-for-math applications in secure code generation, solvers, and Partial Differential Equations. It aims to foster innovations that can serve as valuable tools for mathematicians and promote multi-sector initiatives encompassing philanthropists, markets, and government collaborations .

The AI for Math Fund imposes geographical restrictions, excluding residents from Crimea, the so-called Donetsk People's Republic (DNR), and Luhansk People's Republic (LNR), Cuba, Iran, Syria, North Korea, and individuals subject to U.S. export controls or sanctions by the US, UK, or European Union. These restrictions are likely due to legal and regulatory considerations, including compliance with international trade laws and US government policies concerning countries under sanctions or embargoes. Such measures ensure the fund operates within legal frameworks while avoiding conflicts related to international compliances .

Eligible projects for funding under the AI for Math Fund encompass four main areas: Tools, Datasets, Field Building, and Breakthrough Ideas. Tools projects involve developing open-source software that integrates AI and mathematics, such as autoformalization and autoinformalization tools, and AI models for proof assistants. Datasets projects focus on producing datasets for training AI models, including datasets of formalized theorems and proofs. Field Building aims to grow the AI for math field through educational materials like textbooks and courses. Breakthrough Ideas include high-risk, high-return projects applying AI to fundamental mathematics, such as innovative difficulty estimations or formalizations related to proof complexity .

The AI for Math Fund requires all code produced by supported projects to be released under an open-source license. All datasets must be shared in an open-access repository with appropriate documentation. Research outputs, including journal articles and technical reports, must share preprints in an open-access database, such as arXiv at the time of submission. Copyright for all intellectual property produced remains with the creators, but these outputs must comply with open-source and open-access requirements. Publications and presentations must acknowledge the funding source with a specified format. This approach ensures that all work is publicly accessible and contributes to the broader scientific community .

The applications for the AI for Math Fund will be evaluated based on several criteria: the applicants' track record of achievement in AI, formal verification, and mathematics; the proposed projects' potential to advance the field of AI-for-math and its applications; and the projects' neglectedness by traditional funding mechanisms. The advisors reviewing the applications range from prominent mathematicians to tech industry veterans and experts in the AI-for-math field. These criteria aim to select projects with a substantial potential impact on the advancement of mathematics through AI .

Renaissance Philanthropy plans to achieve its mission by increasing the ambition of philanthropists, scientists, and innovators through the AI for Math Fund. The organization seeks to activate a virtuous loop of increasing ambition and impact between philanthropists and innovators. It identifies frontier experts in science and novel problem-solving methods and taps into the growing number of emerging philanthropists. The role of philanthropists is crucial, as they provide the necessary funding to incubate ambitious initiatives and surface breakthrough ideas in AI and mathematics. By fueling these innovations, Renaissance Philanthropy aims to catalyze a 21st-century renaissance in various fields .

The application process for the AI for Math Fund consists of several stages. Initially, applicants must fill out a simple webform designed to take less than an hour. If the application passes the initial screening, applicants are invited to submit a more detailed written proposal for further evaluation. If the project is within a for-profit company, additional documentation is required to ensure the work is open-source and public-facing. Application instructions and intellectual property policies are also provided to guide applicants through the process. Each stage involves progressively detailed assessments to determine project eligibility and potential impact .

The AI for Math Fund aims to support projects that are neglected by traditional science funding mechanisms by offering financial resources at the intersection of AI and mathematics, particularly for projects involving automated theorem proving and machine learning. These projects often fall outside the scope of conventional funding agencies, which may not prioritize high-risk or unconventional research areas. By focusing on breakthrough ideas and providing up to $1M per project, the fund addresses this gap by encouraging innovative and ambitious initiatives that traditional funding bodies may overlook due to their high-risk nature or misalignment with mainstream research agendas .

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