A Young Visionary Gathers Top AI Minds for a Bold Math Venture

Carina Hong, a 24-year-old Stanford graduate, has managed to attract some of the brightest AI researchers from major tech companies to her startup, Axiom Math. This company is on a mission to build an AI mathematician, aiming to solve complex math problems that have puzzled experts for years. In September, Axiom announced a $64 million seed round, showing strong investor interest in their ambitious goals. Many of Axiom's 17 employees come from Meta's Fundamental AI Research (FAIR) lab and Google Brain, which merged with DeepMind in 2023. Hong believes that the challenge of achieving mathematical superintelligence is what draws top talent to her company. She has said that solving such difficult problems attracts high-caliber thinkers, creating a magnet effect for other brilliant minds. Hong's recruiting strategy focused on FAIR because of their reputation for excellent research. However, Meta's AI organization has seen changes recently, including layoffs and the departure of chief scientist Yann LeCun. Some notable recruits from Meta include Shubho Sengupta, now Axiom's CTO, and Francois Charton, Aram Markosyan, and Hugh Leather. Despite competition from big tech companies offering attractive retention packages, Hong emphasizes that the long-term potential of Axiom played a significant role in attracting researchers. The startup's mission and culture, which values non-hierarchical collaboration, have also been key factors in drawing talent. Hong has even recruited her former professor, renowned mathematician Ken Ono, showing her ability to attract both young and experienced experts. Axiom's work goes beyond pure mathematics. Hong envisions applications in areas like hardware and software verification, quantitative finance, and cryptography, where provably correct reasoning is crucial. The company's early success in solving complex math problems suggests that their approach could have a significant impact on various industries.