Exclusive: Robinhood CEO backs startup to boost AI's math skills

Driving the news: Tenev is leading the funding for Harmonic and serving as its executive chairman, though he doesn't have an operational role at the Palo Alto-based company. Harmonic's CEO is Tudor Achim, the co-founder of Helm.ai.

The big picture: While computers are fast at computations and solving equations, Tenev says they have yet to rival humans when it comes to solving and verifying mathematical proofs.

• The 15-person startup has already achieved an 83% success rate on a key mathematical benchmark, known as F2F, when aided with computer algebra systems.
• The company says it's working to create what it calls "mathematical superintelligence."
• Harmonic sees applications in areas such as aerospace, automotive
  and medicine, where guaranteed accuracy is essential.
• "As AI starts writing more and more code, we need systems to verify it," Achim told Axios. "There won't be enough humans."

Fun fact: Tenev got his Stanford degree in math. "Even throughout growing Robinhood, math has always been a particular passion of mine," he said.