Plectis Atlas
Search

↑ and ↓ move, Enter opens, Esc closes.

Subpolynomial query complexity for log-concave sampling

OpenAI groups related papers into a “family”. OpenAI’s catalogue describes this one:

For C2 potentials with a supplied minimizer and \(I\preceq\nabla^2V\preceq2I\), proves that sampling within total variation 1/10 requires only \(C_\varepsilon d^\varepsilon\) exact value-and-gradient queries for every fixed ε > 0. The bound holds on every run, with unrestricted computation between queries. A logarithmic lower bound also holds, so the optimal power-law exponent in this oracle model is zero. (OpenAI’s Lean note)

Lean is a language for mathematical statements and proofs that a computer can verify. The assessments below ask whether those statements express the result OpenAI describes here.

Both independent assessments find that the Lean statements express or imply the whole result described above. Read the assessments

The paper states

Theorem 1.1

In Subpolynomial query complexity for well-conditioned log-concave sampling, 26 September 2026

Possible match to OpenAI’s description, selected from the papers’ main statements because it shares the most wording. No review confirming the selection is recorded.

In the oracle model above, for every \varepsilon>0 there is C_\varepsilon<\infty such that

Q(d)\le C_\varepsilon d^\varepsilon \qquad(d\ge2).

There are also absolute constants c>0 and d_0 such that

Q(d)\ge c\log d\qquad(d\ge d_0).

The lower bound applies to arbitrary randomized adaptive first-order algorithms. In particular, \gamma_*=0.

Reported proof verification
One Lean statement in the release; two independent groups report that Comparator accepted runs for this file at the version shown here.

Papers

Each paper opens as a reading page in the browser, with the PDF beside it. The statements each paper opens with are on its reading page.

Subpolynomial query complexity for well-conditioned log-concave sampling

26 September 2026, current edition.

Read it herePDF

For every fixed ε > 0, we give a sampling algorithm using at most \(C_\varepsilon d^\varepsilon\) exact first-order queries on every execution for C2 potentials on ℝd with a known minimizer and Hessian between Id and \(2I_d\). The output has total-variation distance at most 1/10 from the target Gibbs law. Computation between queries is unrestricted. We also prove an \(\Omega(\log d)\) query lower bound for arbitrary randomized adaptive algorithms, determining the optimal dimension exponent to be zero.

One Lean statement in this family

Lean is a language for mathematical statements and proofs that a computer can verify. The Lean statement below is shown beside its possible paper counterpart, with the reason they were linked.

For a configured theorem, the Comparator program tests whether OpenAI’s separate proof proves the exact Lean statement using only the allowed axioms. Some statement files instead configure definitions for comparison by name and type. Acceptance does not establish that a formal statement means the same thing as the paper’s theorem.

LogConcaveQuery

The paper states

The words they share: adaptive, algorithms, bound, randomized.

Possible Lean counterpart

Selected from shared wording. No review of whether the statements mean the same thing is recorded.

Subpolynomial query complexity for log-concave sampling

LogConcaveQuery.lean, the release lists it as a main result.

theorem exact_source_main :    (∀ ε : ℝ, 0 < ε → ∃ C : ℝ, ∀ d : ℕ, 2 ≤ d →      (queryComplexity d).toENNReal ≤ ENNReal.ofReal (C * (d : ℝ) ^ ε)) ∧    (∃ c : ℝ, 0 < c ∧ ∃ d₀ : ℕ, 2 ≤ d₀ ∧ ∀ d : ℕ, d₀ ≤ d →      ENNReal.ofReal (c * Real.log (d : ℝ)) ≤ (queryComplexity d).toENNReal) ∧    gammaStar = 0 := by  sorry

This file states the theorem with sorry, a placeholder, in place of its proof. OpenAI supplies a separate proof file. Comparator tests whether that proof proves the statement here.

two independent groups report that Comparator accepted runs for this Lean statement file: cert-machine; MathVet. Who ran the proof-verification program

  • cert-machine records it as “CERTIFIED”.
  • MathVet records it as “comparator-sandboxed-pass”.

Read the complete Lean statement

Other mathematical statements in OpenAI’s Lean library

Atlas found these propositions by scanning the text of the project’s Model.lean file. Each name links to its definition, with any associated statement file beside it. This list does not record running Lean to interpret or verify those definitions.

Independent comparisons and proof-verification reports

Does the Lean express the advertised result?

MathVet and cert-machine agree on how much of the advertised result the Lean statements express.

MathVet and Carlos Toledo’s cert-machine independently assessed whether this family’s Lean statements express the whole result OpenAI describes in its catalogue. These are assessments of the family as a whole, not of each paper theorem separately.

MathVet finds that the Lean statements express or imply the whole advertised result (their term: “full”).

Their note: None; the claim is about the number of exact value-and-gradient queries only (no time/bit-cost statement), as in the summary.

Definitions the group asks readers to compare with the paper: Hand-rolled oracle model (OracleAlgorithm, OracleAlgorithm.history/run, TVAtMost := ∀ s measurable, |μ s - ν s| ≤ ε, queryComplexity := sInf over feasible integer budgets in ℕ∞); non-uniform in d (one algorithm per (d, q))

“full”, in their words: The challenge statements imply the headline claim after unpacking definitions or one routine step.

Their method: An independent, model-assisted, pre-referee reading of each family’s challenge statements against its headline claim under a published rubric (PROTOCOL.md), with its own Comparator runs per challenge.

cert-machine finds that the Lean statements express or imply the whole advertised result (their term: “MATCHES”).

“MATCHES”, in their words: The challenge statements state the headline as OpenAI wrote it.

Their method: Every Comparator challenge re-run on Linux with nanoda switched on, decided by a preregistered rule.

OpenAI’s own note on what its Lean covers

The formalized result determines the dimension exponent of exact value-and-gradient query complexity for well-conditioned log-concave sampling. For potentials with $V(0)=0$, $\nabla V(0)=0$, and $I\le\nabla^2V\le2I$, the least worst-case query budget achieving total-variation error at most $1/10$ is at most $C_\varepsilon d^\varepsilon$ for every $\varepsilon>0$, and at least $c\log d$ eventually. Hence the infimal polynomial exponent is zero. Algorithms may be measurable, randomized, and adaptive; arithmetic and bit costs are not bounded.

AI-drafted comparisons, with no recorded human review

  • Subpolynomial query complexity for log-concave sampling LogConcaveQuery

    Unreviewed AI draft: states a paper’s theorem as the paper does. States the main theorem: for well-conditioned log-concave sampling, the query complexity is at most C_ε d^ε for every ε > 0 and at least c log d, so the polynomial exponent is zero.

Who ran the proof-verification program?

These groups report running Comparator with the release’s Lean statement files. For a configured theorem, it verifies OpenAI’s separate proof against the exact statement; some files instead configure definitions for comparison by name and type. Each row is the named group’s report. Atlas has not repeated the runs.

These reports do not list the software versions, proof-verification programs, axioms, time or memory in separate fields. Any such details in a report’s prose are reproduced below.

Subpolynomial query complexity for log-concave sampling LogConcaveQuery

Two reports, all at the release’s recorded version.

Reported byTheir wordTheir accountDateOriginal report
cert-machine“CERTIFIED”Re-run through Comparator with the independent nanoda kernel switched on: Lean’s kernel and nanoda both accept OpenAI’s solution.10 October 2026Original report
MathVet“comparator-sandboxed-pass”Re-run through Comparator in a sandboxed virtual machine: accepted.8 October 2026Original report

What these papers cite in the release, and what cites them

These links come from the papers’ bibliographies. A citation records that one paper cites another; how each cited result is used has not been examined here.

Papers elsewhere in the release that this family’s papers cite

This family’s papers cite no paper elsewhere in the release.

Papers elsewhere in the release that cite this family’s papers

No paper elsewhere in the release cites this family’s papers.

References outside the release

Each paper’s outside references are listed with it on its reading page, where each citation is placed. Every outside work cited in the release: References outside the release

Explain a result, compare statements or propose a correction

Atlas has no contributed explanation for this family yet. You can offer one with a GitHub account. You receive named credit and disclose any AI assistance.

Each button opens a GitHub form with this page and its source version filled in. Opening the form does not reserve the work.

Offer to write an explanationCompare the Lean statement with the paperSuggest a source attributionSuggest a change

What people have said

Commentary on this family by others, dated and credited. It is commentary, not a finding.

  • An unsigned public tier list, the OpenAI Math Tier List, classes it as a algorithm and rates its significance, if it holds up, as “Solid publication, could lead to tenure”. The page says that nothing on it is verified.

    Author not stated. Source

Questions awaiting review

Each item identifies a statement, definition or report that needs further review. Its link opens a GitHub form with the source version already recorded.

Read the Lean statement against the paper

  • An AI agent drafted an assessment of which part of the paper this Lean statement expresses. No named human review is recorded. Open the form

Identify the theorem the catalogue describes

  • Family 139 The theorem shown was selected from shared wording with OpenAI’s description. Atlas records no review confirming that it is the theorem the description means. Open the form

Address a question raised in an independent assessment

Compare the proposed paper and Lean matches

  • Family 139 Atlas records no review of whether each linked Lean statement and paper theorem mean the same thing. Open the form