Axiom Math and Harmonic Raise Hundreds of Millions for Math AI as Experts Warn Funding May Not Last

Axiom Math and Harmonic, two start-ups based a few doors apart in Palo Alto, California, have each raised hundreds of millions of dollars to develop AI systems that produce mathematical proofs and verify their correctness. Axiom Math was founded by Carina Hong, a former Stanford University student and former advisee of mathematician Ken Ono.

Ono left a professorship at the University of Virginia in 2025 to join the company after Epoch AI asked him to create difficult math problems to test AI capabilities.

Five papers containing autonomously produced proofs generated by Axiom Math’s AI tools have been accepted in mathematical journals. Ono said the company aims to have dozens of written papers by next year. Harmonic, led by chief executive Tudor Achim, pursues a similar goal of building what it calls a “mathematical superintelligence” that produces verifiable results.

Both companies see revenue potential in verifying AI-written code, a task that has grown as large language models generate increasing volumes of software. ” Ono said. He added that large language models still require human review for correctness.

OpenAI chief scientist Jakub Pachocki said mathematics remains useful for AI development because results are measurable. Sébastien Bubeck, also at OpenAI, noted recent models have moved beyond earlier weaknesses in some mathematical fields, though OpenAI focuses on general intelligence rather than math-specific optimization.

Stanford University mathematician Ravi Vakil said the current level of funding may not last.

“Right now, there’s a lot of money being put into this, and we’re going to miss it when it’s gone,” he said. ” Axiom Math employee Shubho Sengupta said some mathematical modeling performed by large hedge funds is already inaccessible to outsiders because it constitutes intellectual property. He added that advancing the bounds of mathematical knowledge should remain free.

Achim said the companies intend to charge for useful tools while continuing to support mathematicians. The article was amended on 3 June 2026 to correct the role of Axiom Math’s AI tools in its recent journal papers.