Although mathematics is often misrepresented as a discipline disconnected from everyday life and is often the subject most people are most comfortable admitting they're not good at, evidence shows that maths remains crucial to society.
New analysis by the Academy for the Mathematical Sciences has revealed that in 2025 the mathematical sciences contributed £40 billion to Scotland’s economy, representing 20% of Scotland’s total Gross Value Added. This is an increase from £36 billion in 2024 .
Evidence also suggests pupil interest in maths is growing in Scotland. Qualifications Scotland data shows that Advanced Higher Mathematics entries grew by 21.8% between 2022 and 2026, making it the fastest-growing among major subjects.
At the same time, entries for National 5 Applications of Mathematics ballooned from 14,305 in 2022 to over 30,000 in 2026. Supporters of the new qualification say this represents a growing appreciation and appetite among young people for practical maths skills.
Nigel Campbell, Vice-President of the Academy for the Mathematical Sciences, explained how the discipline is represented in the job market in key roles across multiple sectors .
Expanding this workforce by just 1% would inject an extra £400 million into Scotland's economy every year, he added.
The Academy’s new economic analysis confirms what many in the profession have long known, he said.
"The mathematical sciences are critical to Scotland's economy. In 2025, about 400,000 people were working in mathematical science occupations.
"These are well-paid, high-productivity roles, embedded in every part of our modern economy—from data science and financial services to education and engineering.
"Behind these numbers lies a powerful story: When we invest in mathematical sciences—in education, research, and people—we build a more innovative, resilient, and prosperous future.
“The Academy is committed to ensuring that the mathematical sciences continue to thrive, not only as an engine of economic growth, but as a force for opportunity, understanding, and progress across society."
Yet other factors are revealing a troubling trend for maths in Scotland. In 2025, a survey by School Leaders Scotland found that mathematics accounted for 23.5% of all secondary school teacher vacancies.
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Dundee University had temporarily proposed ending undergraduate maths-only degrees, a proposal that was eventually taken off the table after significant backlash, and one which the Campaign for Mathematical Sciences declared “insulting and wrong”.
And then there is the question of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Recent headlines in the maths world have covered the news that a group of about 10,000 AI agents recently solved a 90-year-old maths problem in just 88 hours. The problem was part of the Navier-Stokes equation, which governs the flow of fluids.
The moment has been hailed as a major breakthrough in both AI and mathematics, and it has reignited questions about AI's role in breaking new ground in the discipline.
For Professor Dame Alison Etheridge, President of the Academy for the Mathematical Sciences, however, the future of maths depends less on the limits of technology than on public perception.
"My biggest fear at the moment is not that AI can replace human mathematicians, but that society, government, and employers will believe that it can.
“Then we will find ourselves in a position where mathematical training isn't considered necessary, and as a result, a vital part of the skills pipeline for the next generation is simply missing."
The belief that AI alone can step in to bridge that skills gap misunderstands both how AI functions effectively and how mathematics develops, Prof Etheridge said.
“AI is doing mathematics in a way that is genuinely exciting, but we shouldn't overstate what it can currently achieve. It can solve specific components, but framing the deep questions remains a human domain.
"AI provides an incredible resource for calculations, but calculation is not comprehension. True understanding requires human intuition to interpret what those calculations mean."
Focusing too much on the potential solutions AI can facilitate also risks undermining AI's long-term value, she added. And while advanced models are certainly expanding the limits of mathematical research, they still require skilled mathematicians to write effective prompts, verify outputs, and flag hallucinations that might seem plausible to the untrained eye.
"The real question isn't just what AI can do for maths; it's what maths can do for AI.
“Without foundational mathematics, we cannot optimise algorithms or address the massive energy demands of modern AI computers."
"Maths is not just a service subject for science and engineering; it is an engine of foundational ideas.
“Blue-sky mathematical research done decades ago underpins today's AI breakthroughs, and universities must support it as such."
As much as technologies like AI have the ability to develop at a rate much faster than humans can predict, Prof Etheridge and others at the Academy believe that Scotland has upcoming opportunities to champion mathematical sciences and fertile ground to do so.
Glasgow and Dublin recently won a bid to host the 2030 International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) and the prestigious Fields Medal, given out every four years to recognise outstanding mathematical achievement, will be presented in Glasgow.
Monday marked the start of Maths Week Scotland, the first since the ICM-winning bid was announced. Prof Etheridge and her colleagues at the Academy would like to see it used as a springboard to increase public engagement around building a national strategy for supporting mathematical sciences in Scotland.
Part of that, Prof Etheridge said, means changing the conversation around maths to demonstrate to young people that the discipline is much more accessible than it seems.
”It's such a multi‑dimensional skill to be a mathematician, and there are so many different ways of being good at maths.
“Maths is important, and you do not have to be the top in your class or the top in your school to pursue it.”
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