Having received the VIII Frontiers of Knowledge Award in Information and Communication Technologies, engineer Stephen Arthur Cook explains in this interview how his contributions to computational complexity theory have defined some of the most profound problems in modern computing. Cook describes the origin and impact of the famous P vs NP debate, as well as the concept of NP-completeness, which established the framework for understanding which problems can be solved efficiently and which require unsustainable computational resources. His reflections highlight the practical relevance of these ideas in areas such as cryptography, optimization, and artificial intelligence, showing how mathematical foundations continue to guide the development of contemporary technologies.
Mathematician Stephen Arthur Cook has been granted the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in the Informati
Having received the VIII Frontiers of Knowledge Award in Information and Communication Technologies, engineer Stephen Arthur Cook explains in this interview how his contributions to computational complexity theory have defined some of the most profound problems in modern computing. Cook describes the origin and impact of the famous P vs NP debate, as well as the concept of NP-completeness, which established the framework for understanding which problems can be solved efficiently and which require unsustainable computational resources. His reflections highlight the practical relevance of these ideas in areas such as cryptography, optimization, and artificial intelligence, showing how mathematical foundations continue to guide the development of contemporary technologies.
Mathematician Stephen Arthur Cook has been granted the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in the Information and Communication Technologies category for his important role in identifying what computers can and cannot solve efficiently. His work has had a dramatic impact in all fields where complex computations are crucial.
00:00 Introduction
00:05 You have been awarded this prize for your role in identifying what computers can and cannot solve efficiently. Could you explain these two broad categories—what can and what cannot be solved efficiently—in simple terms?
01:50 What have been the implications of your discovery for computer science?
03:00 What would happen if P were to turn out to be equal to NP? Would this pose a threat to e-commerce and security in general?
03:57 It could therefore have very interesting effects in the real world if this were to happen. Are you working on this problem? And in your opinion, how close are mathematicians to solving this “Millennium Problem”?
