Meta's Unnamed AI Scores Perfect 30/30 on Physics Olympiad Theory Exam
AI at Meta entered an unnamed model in the Asian Physics Olympiad's theoretical exam and hit a perfect 30/30, tying with the top three human students.
- Perfect score: AI at Meta submitted an unnamed model to the APhO 2026 theoretical exam and achieved a perfect 30/30, tying the top 3 human contestants.
- Official grading: The APhO committee graded the model's answers using the same rubric as human students — this is not a self-reported benchmark result.
- Hard exam: The theoretical portion covered mechanics, X-ray diffraction, and magnetic resonance, graded by expert physicists across 209 contestants from 27 countries.
- Model unnamed: AI at Meta's announcement refers only to "our model" — no specific product or release was identified.
- Theory only: The model did not participate in the five-hour practical/laboratory exam, which tests hands-on experimental design.
- Broader trend: Prior AI systems hit near-perfect scores (28.6/30) on IPhO 2025 theory; Meta's result is the first publicly announced perfect score on a live, officially graded physics Olympiad exam.
Physics Olympiad problems are not multiple choice. They demand multi-step derivations, physical modeling from first principles, and precise calculation , all written out in full, graded by expert physicists. That is the gauntlet AI at Meta just put one of its models through, and the result was a perfect score.
What happened
The AI at Meta team submitted a model to the theoretical examination of the 26th Asian Physics Olympiad (APhO 2026), held in Busan, South Korea. The competition drew 28 delegations from 27 countries and territories, comprising 209 contestants. APhO 2026 consisted of two official exam days , one for theory and one for practical exams , each lasting five hours.
Meta's model sat only the theoretical portion. The theoretical exam covered three topics: mechanics of weighing systems, X-ray diffraction in material structure research, and magnetic resonance in external fields. The model achieved a perfect 30/30, tying with the top three human contestants in the competition. The APhO committee approved the submission and graded the model's answers using the same rubric applied to human students.
Critically, Meta has not disclosed which model was used. The announcement, posted by the AI at Meta Twitter account, refers only to "our model" , framing the result as a demonstration of advanced reasoning and multimodal capabilities, without naming a specific product or release.
Why this exam is hard
The APhO is not a benchmark you can game with pattern matching. It is conducted according to similar statutes to the International Physics Olympiad, featuring one five-hour theoretical examination and one or two laboratory examinations. Approximately 240 aspiring physics students, selected from about 30 countries across Asia and Oceania, compete by demonstrating creativity and problem-solving skills through theoretical and laboratory examinations, each lasting five hours.