What was already known
Deng, Tidor and Zhao obtained O(N^(log₂₂3)) colors for four terms and asked whether N^o(1) colors suffice.
AI involvement
Shi and Dong credit GPT-5.6 Sol with the key four-term construction idea. They developed the general even-k version and wrote its proof.
The source specifically credits the model with the key four-term construction idea retained in the result; the authors lead the wider development.
Importance
Improves the four-term exponent from about 0.355 to one-quarter, while the subpolynomial target remains open.
Limitations
The authors prove the wider even-k construction; model credit is explicit for the four-term idea. No completed proof check of the final construction is documented.
Technical verification
A proof is published, but no completed check by a named person or machine is explicitly documented. Author responsibility alone is not a completed checking method, so Reported is the evidence default.
Human understanding
The human authors explain the digit carry control, layered norm mapping and reduction from digitwise progressions that make the coloring work.
Correction and publication history
Improves the four-term exponent from about 0.355 to one-quarter, while the subpolynomial target remains open.
Read this published revision