Latest news with #Mensa
Euronews
2 days ago
- Euronews
Meet the world's best programmer: A Polish man who beat ChatGPT
A Polish programmer known as 'Psyho' has made world computer science history and beaten ChatGPT. Przemysław Dębiak, 42, is the only human in the world to beat ChatGPT in the most prestigious programming competition AtCoder World Tour Finals 2025 (Heuristic Division), which was held in Tokyo earlier this month. The Pole won the elite tournament ahead of 11 other participants, including one particular competitor - a specially prepared algorithm by OpenAI. The company's algorithm ranked in second place. The advantage over ChatGPT grew from an initial 5.5 per cent to a final 9.5, which makes the scale of success all the more remarkable. "He is a very humble man and is very happy that he managed not only to win, but also to beat OpenAI, where he used to work," - innovation design expert Stanislaw Eysmont, a friend of Debiak's, told Euronews Next. Psyho: "Humanity has won (so far)!". The competition lasted ten hours and required participants to solve complex optimisation problems. The task was to improve the designated code as much as possible - optimising it and making it more efficient. "I am completely exhausted. I realised that I've slept maybe 10 hours in the last three days and I'm barely alive," confessed Debiak in a post on the X social media platform after the results were announced. He prefaced these words with a significant sentence: "Humanity has won (so far)!". The Pole's success was also appreciated by OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman. "Good job psyho," he wrote on X. Stanislaw Eysmont commented on his feat as follows: "10 hours of intellectual marathon. No ready-made solutions, no documentation, no prompts," said Eysmont. "There was only one thing: a complex optimisation problem, real in its nature, which cannot be 'solved well' - only better than others. It was in this environment - full of tension, strategy and brilliance - that Przemek beat everyone. Including... the artificial intelligence that came second. Yes. Today, man beats AI". The world's most elite competition The AtCoder World Tour Finals is a tournament that experts consider to be the most prestigious competition in the field of so-called programming heuristics. Only the best - the 12 highest-rated programmers in the world - take part. It is not possible to apply for the competition; you may receive an invitation based on the rankings. The competition involves solving optimisation problems at the highest level of difficulty. It is a combination of algorithmics, statistics, AI theory and creativity. It is not enough to know the algorithms - you still need to be able to use them in a way that even a machine cannot predict. Secondary education, no full-time job, would-be DJ and poker player Dębiak was born on 28 July 1983 in Gdynia. He is a multiple winner of international programming competitions and an expert in algorithmics and AI. He is also a member of Mensa and a multiple Polish champion in puzzle solving. During an AMA session on the Polish website Wykop, he revealed some unusual facts about himself. Among them: 1. "I have never worked a full-time job". 2. "I am a university drop-out, which means I have a de facto secondary education". 3."When I was a kid, I wanted to be a superhero. It didn't work out". 4. "I never had an idea for life and, in fact, I still don't". - he wrote, also adding that at various times he had thought about becoming a game developer, actor, DJ or professional poker player, among other professions. 5. Debiak lives in Poland and said "has no intention of moving away for the time being". For the Pole, victory could be tantamount to opening up even more professional wickets. As Eysmont explained, the competition is followed by the world's biggest technology companies and is seen as an indicator of "who really understands how code thinks".
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Human programmer beats OpenAI's custom AI in 10-hour marathon, wins World Coding Championship — Polish programmer might be the last human winner
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Przemysław 'Psyho' Dębiak, a 42-year-old programmer from Gdynia, Poland, made history by defeating OpenAI's custom AI model at the AtCoder World Tour Finals (AWTF) 2025 "Humans vs AI" contest in Tokyo. Considered one of the most prestigious coding tournaments in the world, the AWTF invites just 12 of the top-ranked human programmers—and, for the first time, an AI competitor—to tackle its grueling challenges. After a 10-hour coding marathon, Dębiak edged out the AI by roughly 9.5%, clinching first place while the OpenAI-built model settled for second. 'Humanity has prevailed (for now)!' Dębiak wrote on X, confessing he'd slept only around 10 hours over three days while pushing himself to the limit. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman aptly responded with, 'Good job, Psyho.' The AI model, branded OpenAIAHC, was widely expected to dominate the market. Still, Dębiak's innovative, heuristic-driven approach—using problem-solving shortcuts and educated guesses instead of brute-force calculation—secured the win. Contest administrator Yoichi Iwata praised his distinctive method, noting that while the AI excelled at raw optimization, it 'fell short of human creativity.' The AtCoder World Tour Finals (AWTF) is regarded as the ultimate stage for heuristic programming contests that focus on 'good-enough' solutions to complex, unsolvable problems rather than perfect ones. This year's challenge tasked competitors with plotting a robot's path across a 30×30 grid using the fewest possible moves, an NP-hard optimization problem with countless possible outcomes. With no access to external libraries or documentation, success relied on intuition, creativity, and adaptability—qualities where human ingenuity can still outthink the raw speed and precision of AI models. Dębiak, a former OpenAI engineer who helped develop OpenAI Five (the Dota 2 AI), competed using only Visual Studio Code with basic autocomplete and admitted the AI pushed him to his limits: 'I was close to the model's score, and that pushed me to give everything.' Near the end of the 10-hour marathon, he overtook OpenAIAHC to claim victory and a 500,000 yen prize. A veteran algorithmic competitor, Mensa member, and four-time TopCoder Open Marathon champion, Dębiak has never held a full-time job and once even joked about considering careers from DJing to professional poker. His win carries symbolic weight, a human triumphing over AI in a field where machines typically excel. All that being said, AI's steady progress is undeniable—Stanford's 2025 AI Index found coding benchmarks jumped from 4.4% AI success in 2023 to 71.7% in 2024. With tools like GitHub Copilot used daily by over 90% of developers, AI is reshaping workflows. However, this win highlights that creativity, endurance, and intuition —especially in long-form heuristic challenges —remain human strengths. Dębiak isn't naive about the challenge ahead, saying, 'It's easy to imagine a different problem where AI would win and humans would be far behind.'. Still, this feels like a human John Henry moment—a testament not just to sheer human will, but to the spark of creativity machines haven't replicated and (hopefully) will never be able to. Follow Tom's Hardware on Google News to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Daily Mirror
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Only those with genius IQ can find rogue four-leaf clover in 15 seconds
A deceptively difficult brainteaser is leaving swathes of Brits scratching their heads in confusion. Seriously, you'll need a high IQ and speedy reaction skills to solve this one Find out if you're a true clever clogs with this baffling brainteaser that's leaving most Brits utterly stumped. You may think that solving puzzles and riddles is a waste of time - or something you only do when bored out of your mind. However, research has suggested that brainteasers have the ability to positively impact the central nervous system. While this isn't enough to turn you into a rocket scientist or a mini Albert Einstein, it may improve your concentration levels and leave you with a stronger attention span. Think of it as a mini workout, but for your brain! Crafted by experts at MrQ, the brainteaser below can only be solved by individuals with a genius-level IQ - and requires rapid reaction times and meticulous attention to detail. So, what are you waiting for? Let's get straight to it! The image above shows a collage of three-leaf clovers against a vibrant blue background. But, hiding in plain sight is a lucky four-leaf clover, and you need to find it in just 15 seconds or less to prove you're a proper smarty pants. Fail, and you can kiss goodbye to that Mensa membership. However, as previously reported, only one in ten manage to do so within the 15-second limit, making the task seem almost impossible for most. And no, we're not giving away any clues for this one! Tempted to surrender, or reckon you've solved the puzzle in the nick of time? Scroll down to the bottom of the article to reveal the answer - but no cheating! If you enjoyed that pesky brainteaser, give your brain another workout with these 10 questions that look like your bog-standard pub quiz. However, they have been strategically designed to trip you up, so make sure you read each question carefully and don't rush ahead. You have just three seconds on each question before you need to move on to the next - and you need to get at least eight right to prove you're a modern-day genius. Once you're done, you can check your answers here. What is the world's most popular social media platform by monthly active users? What is the smallest country in the world? How many planets are in our solar system, excluding Pluto? What is the name of the world's longest river? How many hearts does an octopus have? What is the chemical symbol for gold? What is the largest living organism on Earth? What element forms the majority of the world's atmosphere In what year was the first iPhone released? What is the scientific name for the process by which plants convert sunlight into energy? Up for another mental workout? Check out our full collection of tricky brainteasers, riddles, and puzzles here - or, learn more about your hidden personality traits with these mind-boggling optical illusions.
Daily Mirror
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
You're a genius if you can solve baffling maths question in just 5 seconds
Consider yourself the brains of the family? Put your intellect to the ultimate test with this mind-boggling maths brainteaser that's leaving swathes of Brits scratching their heads Get your brain ticking with this impossibly challenging brainteaser that can only be solved by a true modern-day genius. Puzzles and riddles may seem like a mere distraction from your morning commute, or an easy way to occupy the kids on long car journeys - but they're actually a great form of mental exercise. In fact, research suggests that regularly solving these kinds of mini-tests can have a positive impact on the central nervous system, resulting in improved concentration levels and a better attention span. However, this devilishly hard maths question may also result in huge family rows and a defeated ego. Seriously, you'll need a super high IQ and rapid reaction skills to solve this one under the strict time limit. So, let's jump straight in! In the image above, you'll see a series of sums that don't appear to make much sense - and you've been presented with a maths problem which asks you to determine the value of 14 + 14. At the top of the image, there's a clue which states 11 + 11 equals four, and 12 + 12 makes six, plus 13 + 13 totals eight. This key will assist you in figuring out the answer. So, pop your thinking caps on and set a timer - as you have just five seconds to lock in your answer and prove you're a genius. Fail, and you kiss goodbye to your chances of being invited to Mensa. We're not giving away any clues for this one, but if you're feeling completely lost - ignore the timer and see how long it takes for you to solve. Still stuck, or reckon you've finally cracked it? Scroll down to the bottom of the article to reveal the answer. If that maths brainteaser was no match for a boffin like yourself, fear not. It's now time to ramp things up to the next level with this insanely cryptic puzzle that only the nation's brightest minds can solve. Created by the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) back in 2020, you'll need incredible analytical skills and a high IQ to solve this taxing puzzle. In fact, it's so hard there's no time limit whatsoever - but if you're still feeling stumped after 30 minutes, it might be time to surrender. Ready? All you need to do is find the hidden word amongst the following. Once you're done, you can check your answer here - but no cheating! Madison Saturn Do Nitrogen Exodus Up for more IQ-testing fun? Check out our collection of tricky brainteasers, riddles, and puzzles here. Or, learn more about your hidden personality traits with these mind-boggling optical illusions.
Sky News
11-07-2025
- Health
- Sky News
'My son died from a milk allergy at school - I want to make sure it never happens again'
The mother of a five-year-old boy who died after he was accidentally exposed to the wrong milk at school is calling for a new law to keep other children with allergies safe. Benedict Blythe, a reception pupil at Barnack Primary School in Stamford, Lincolnshire, suffered fatal anaphylaxis after he was accidentally exposed to cow's milk protein, probably from his own cup during break time. An inquest into his death found the school's delay in giving him his EpiPen, a failure to share his allergy plan, and a failure to learn from a previous allergic reaction, all likely contributed to his death. Benedict died in December 2021, and the family have now waited more than three years for answers, with the inquest concluding this week. He had a number of allergies, including cow's milk protein, eggs, nuts and kiwi fruit. Benedict, who joined the high-IQ society Mensa at the age of four, loved school, his mother Helen told Sky News. "He was ferociously intelligent," she said. "He was doing Year Five maths when he had just started school." He was also "kind and considerate", she said, describing how her son once spent his entire lunchtime helping a friend find a lost scooter. "We walked into school one day and he noticed a child that looked a bit nervous, and said, I'll take you in, took his hand and walked him into school." She continued: "That kind of calm, positive energy, that is always missing and we will never come across it again. It's a really hard thing to have lost." During break time, Benedict was to be served oat milk, which was stored in the staff fridge with his name on. The usual process was to take this into the classroom and pour it into his cup, handing it to him directly. But on the day of his death, his milk was poured in the staffroom and then taken into the classroom. It is not clear how the cross-contamination or mix-up of milk could have happened, but the foreperson of the jury at the inquest said: "We deem the probable source of the allergen that caused the fatal anaphylaxis is the ingestion of cow's milk protein, most probably from his own receptacle during break time." Benedict vomited twice and lost consciousness before his adrenaline pen was administered. By the time he reached hospital, it was too late. Benedict was five years old when he died. Helen said the school had been told vomiting was "always" the first sign of an allergic reaction, but the pen was given too late to be effective. "The advice is, if in doubt, don't delay," she said. "The worst that will happen with giving adrenaline is that they will feel a bit ropey, but the risk of delaying it... probably even a minute earlier could have had an impact." A previous reaction This was the second time Benedict had an allergic reaction at school, having previously been sick while eating a pizza. And while she was keen to stress she did not blame individual staff members, the inquest found no allergy plan was created by the school, and there was no specific allergy policy when he started school. Staff responsible were also not privy to key information about Benedict's allergy. "Benedict's death was preventable and was caused by a cascade of failures - individual, institutional, and systemic," Helen said, shortly after the inquest returned its verdict. In a statement, Benedict's former school said: "The only comment that Barnack Primary School wishes to make at this point in time, is to offer its sincere and heartfelt condolences to Benedict's family at the tragic loss of Benedict." Benedict's Law There is currently no legislation that exists to protect children with allergies, and so Helen is working to ensure no other children die at school from an allergy. "Schools are left to interpret patchy, vague guidance and to carry life-or-death responsibility alone. This is unforgivable," she said. Following a campaign by the Benedict Blythe Foundation, set up in his memory, Redditch MP Chris Bloor presented the Schools (Allergy Safety) Bill, also known as Benedict's Law to parliament on 9 July. "With an ever-growing number of children requiring allergy care, it has never been more vital that the place we entrust with the care of our children - the school where we drop them off every day - is a safe and secure environment, but too often it is not," he told the House of Commons. The law would require an allergy policy in every school, training for staff on how to identify reactions and deal with them, and spare adrenaline pens in every school. It is backed by more than 50 MPs, a petition signed by more than 10,000 members of the public. "We've done a huge amount of research and kind of built a really strong evidence base for this, including kind of a way of delivering Benedict's Law so that it means it doesn't cost the government any money," Helen told Sky News. Most children with undiagnosed allergies have a reaction for the first time at school, she said. "Humans will always make mistakes, but there has to be a system in the background that allows for that because at the moment it is left up to chance when things go wrong."
