🔬Doing Vibe Physics — Alex Lupsasca, OpenAI

In this episode of Latent Space: The AI Engineer Podcast, host Brandon welcomes Alex Lupsasca, a professor at Vanderbilt University and fellow at OpenAI, to discuss the transformative role of AI in theoretical physics. Lupsasca recounts his journey from skepticism about AI’s capabilities in complex physics calculations to becoming a full-time researcher at OpenAI, where he has leveraged advanced language models like GPT-5.2 Pro to solve long-standing problems in quantum field theory, including proving that single-minus gluon tree amplitudes are non-zero—a result that overturned decades of textbook assumptions. The breakthrough was achieved through a collaborative 'vibe physics' approach, where AI acted as a creative partner, generating insights and simplifying complex calculations that had stumped experts for over a year. This success was replicated in a follow-up paper on graviton amplitudes, demonstrating AI’s ability to generalize across different physical systems. Lupsasca emphasizes that AI is not just a tool for computation but a collaborator that accelerates discovery, reduces confusion, and redefines how physicists approach research. He also raises critical questions about the future of scientific training, peer review, and the nature of creativity in science, urging the academic community to adapt to a new era where AI superpowers human intellect. The episode concludes with a forward-looking vision: AI is no longer a novelty but a central force in scientific progress. Lupsasca argues that the real bottleneck now is not computation, but verification and the ability to ask the right questions—skills that remain uniquely human. He envisions a future where papers evolve into interactive, AI-powered documents, and where the next generation of scientists must learn to steer AI with 'taste' and judgment. The takeaway is clear: we are at a pivotal moment in science, where AI is not just assisting researchers but actively shaping the frontier of knowledge. The message is urgent: pay attention, adapt, and embrace the new paradigm before it reshapes everything.