The MIT professor who taught the math behind every AI tool for 61 years gave the world something most univ

A legendary MIT mathematician who spent six decades laying the theoretical groundwork for modern artificial intelligence has given away his life's work for free, upending the economics of how AI knowledge is transmitted through the world's universities. Gilbert Strang's decision to open-source his foundational lectures and materials on linear algebra—the mathematical backbone of every neural network, recommendation system, and large language model—represents a rare act of intellectual generosity that could reshape who gets access to the secrets of AI. The move exposes a growing tension in academia: as the gatekeepers of fundamental AI knowledge increasingly license their insights to tech giants for billions of dollars, one of the field's most consequential figures chose a different path entirely.

The Economic Times·Jun 3