Can Transformers Do Enumerative Geometry?
Not on the map. Why?
Abstract (arXiv)
How can Transformers model and learn enumerative geometry? What is a robust procedure for using Transformers in abductive knowledge discovery within a mathematician-machine collaboration? In this work, we introduce a Transformer-based approach to computational enumerative geometry, specifically targeting the computation of psi-class intersection numbers on the moduli space of curves. By reformulating the problem as a continuous optimization task, we compute intersection numbers across a wide value range from 10-45 to 1045. To capture the recursive nature inherent in these intersection numbers, we propose the Dynamic Range Activator (DRA), a new activation function that enhances the Transformer's ability to model recursive patterns and handle severe heteroscedasticity. Given precision requirements for computing the intersections, we quantify the uncertainty of the predictions using Conformal Prediction with a dynamic sliding window adaptive to the partitions of equivalent number of marked points. To the best of our knowledge, there has been no prior work on modeling recursive functions with such a high-variance and factorial growth. Beyond simply computing intersection numbers, we explore the enumerative "world-model" of Transformers. Our interpretability analysis reveals that the network is implicitly modeling the Virasoro constraints in a purely data-driven manner. Moreover, through abductive hypothesis testing, probing, and causal inference, we uncover evidence of an emergent internal representation of the the large-genus asymptotic of psi-class intersection numbers. These findings suggest that the network internalizes the parameters of the asymptotic closed-form and the polynomiality phenomenon of intersection numbers in a non-linear manner. This opens up new possibilities in inferring asymptotic closed-form expressions directly from limited amount of data.
Key facts. Cited by 8 papers in the map (data through 7 Oct 2026). Builds on 56 of its 97 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 27 Aug 2024.
Builds on
56 of 97 references.
References · 56
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38 more
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50 most cited of 56 All 56 (JSON)
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Citing papers per year: 2025: 3; 2026: 5.
8 papers.
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- 2026Discovering a Zeta Map Algorithm on Dyck Paths via Mechanistic Interpretabilitycited by 1
- 2025Polynomial, trigonometric, and tropical activationscited by 0
- 2026Spectral Structure in Finite Free Information Inequalities and p-Stam Phase Transitionscited by 0
- 2026Emergent Latent-State Computation under Stochastic Volatilitycited by 0
- 2026PermuFormer: Multi-Task Pretraining for Permutation Representation in Algebraic Combinatoricscited by 0
- 2026PermuFormer: Multi-Task Pretraining for Permutation Representation in Algebraic Combinatorics21 Sep 2026
- 2026Emergent Latent-State Computation under Stochastic Volatility28 Jul 2026
- 2026Discovering a Zeta Map Algorithm on Dyck Paths via Mechanistic Interpretability28 May 2026
- 2026Spectral Structure in Finite Free Information Inequalities and p-Stam Phase Transitions13 Apr 2026
- 2026Flow-based Extremal Mathematical Structure Discovery25 Jan 2026
- 2025Transformers without Normalization13 Mar 2025
- 2025Hamiltonian Neural Networks approach to fuzzball geodesics28 Feb 2025
- 2025Polynomial, trigonometric, and tropical activations3 Feb 2025
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