AI Discovers New Formula for Particle Interactions, Rewriting Physics Rules

A formula for calculating interactions between gluons, particles that carry the strong nuclear force, was first proposed by an artificial intelligence system and subsequently proven by researchers.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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A formula for calculating interactions between gluons, particles that carry the strong nuclear force, was first proposed by an artificial intelligence system, GPT-5.2 Pro, and subsequently proven by researchers, according to a pre-print study released February 12, 2026. The finding challenges long-held assumptions about the behavior of gluons and could dramatically simplify the calculation of particle scattering amplitudes.

Why it matters

This discovery represents a significant advancement in our understanding of particle physics, as it challenges long-held assumptions and provides a new, more efficient way to calculate complex particle interactions. The ability to simplify these calculations could lead to breakthroughs in our understanding of the fundamental forces of nature.

The details

The study centers on 'scattering amplitudes,' mathematical objects that determine the probability of particle collisions. Calculating these amplitudes becomes exponentially more complex as the number of particles involved increases. Researchers found that under specific conditions – when the momenta, or directions and energies, of the particles are aligned in a particular way known as the half-collinear regime – the previously assumed impossibility of certain gluon interactions dissolves. The team then developed a recursive method, building on the Berends-Giele method, to determine these amplitudes for any number of gluons. GPT-5.2 Pro was then used to simplify these expressions, identifying a pattern and conjecturing a general formula, which was subsequently proven by the AI system and verified by the human researchers.

  • The study was released as a pre-print on February 12, 2026.
  • GPT-5.2 Pro spent approximately 12 hours formally proving the formula's validity.

The players

GPT-5.2 Pro

An artificial intelligence system that first proposed the formula for calculating interactions between gluons.

Nima Arkani-Hamed

Professor of Physics at the Institute for Advanced Study, who expressed excitement about the discovery.

Nathaniel Craig

Professor of Physics at the University of California, Santa Barbara, who described the work as "a glimpse into the future of AI-assisted science."

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What they’re saying

“The physics of these highly degenerate scattering processes has been something I've been curious about since I first ran into them about fifteen years ago, so It's exciting to see the strikingly simple expressions in this paper.”

— Nima Arkani-Hamed, Professor of Physics at the Institute for Advanced Study (OpenAI)

“Coupling GPT‑5.2 with human domain experts…provides a template for validating LLM-driven insights and satisfies what we expect from rigorous scientific inquiry.”

— Nathaniel Craig, Professor of Physics at the University of California, Santa Barbara (NewsDirectory3.com)

What’s next

The researchers have not yet announced plans for further investigation into loop corrections, which incorporate quantum fluctuations and remain significantly more complex. The study remains a pre-print, pending formal peer review.

The takeaway

This discovery represents a significant advancement in our understanding of particle physics, as it challenges long-held assumptions and provides a new, more efficient way to calculate complex particle interactions. The ability to simplify these calculations could lead to breakthroughs in our understanding of the fundamental forces of nature and the future of AI-assisted scientific discovery.