OpenAI and Anthropic claim to refute the Exponential Time Hypothesis, and computer science is asked to check

Frontier AI labs say their models refuted the Exponential Time Hypothesis. What does that mean?

OpenAI and Anthropic claim their models found algorithms that solve certain logic problems in sub-exponential time, which could refute the Exponential Time Hypothesis (ETH). ETH is related to P vs NP, but refuting it does not mean P = NP has been proven. MIT professor Ryan Williams is organizing academic review of the algorithms and pushing discussion of research that rests on the assumption.

Why it matters: If the claim holds, computer scientists would have to re-examine research built on the Exponential Time Hypothesis.