Isomorphic Labs in Talks to Raise Funds at $40B Valuation Amid AI Math Upheaval

Isomorphic Labs in Talks at $40B Valuation

Isomorphic Labs, an AI drug discovery startup spun out of Google DeepMind, is in early talks to raise funds at a valuation of at least $40B, according to Bloomberg. The report led the Techmeme aggregator snapshot dated October 8, 2026, 6:35 AM.

OpenAI Math Release Roils Researchers

On October 6, 2026, OpenAI released a range of new mathematical results produced by an internal model. The company said the model produced 372 math breakthroughs, nearly all in response to a single prompt handed to a single AI agent, though some results may have taken multiple attempts. Coverage variously described 376 papers and 377 problems, and Hacker News noted that OpenAI withdrew three mathematical results. Among the highlighted results, mathematician Steven Strogatz pointed to a matrix multiplication exponent of no more than 2.25, down from a previous record of about 2.37.

The release drew a sharp response from the Association for Human Mathematics, which said OpenAI's new math documents show power, not scholarship, and urged mathematicians to stop working with the company. Fields Medalist Terence Tao reposted the statement. Reactions on X and Reddit were divided: some accused the association of gatekeeping, while others argued the release showed a disregard for the norms of scientific research. The Advisory Group on Mathematics and Artificial Intelligence, from whom OpenAI has claimed to derive its legitimacy, was also referenced in forum discussions.

Crypto Industry Weighs "Bunker Mode"

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin said the risks to cryptography from AI-accelerated math should be taken seriously, while recommending against rushed wallet migrations and suggesting users minimize exposure to potentially AI-vulnerable cryptography. Ethereum researcher Justin Drake called on the blockchain industry to calmly begin planning for "bunker mode." Theoretical computer scientist Scott Aaronson wrote that AI companies have started investigating whether their latest internal models can break important cryptographic protocols and primitives, citing a striking under-representation of cryptographic breakthroughs among OpenAI's published results. Critics countered that there is no evidence of a break in long-standing hardness assumptions such as elliptic curve cryptography.

Sources: Techmeme