<p>The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) systems has created an urgent need for their scientific quantification. While their fluency across a variety of domains is impressive, AI systems fall short on tests requiring algorithmic reasoning—a glaring limitation, given the necessity for interpretable and reliable technology. Despite a surge in reasoning benchmarks emerging from the academic community, no theoretical framework exists to quantify algorithmic reasoning in AI systems. Here we adopt a framework from computational complexity theory to quantify algorithmic generalization using algebraic expressions: algebraic circuit complexity. Algebraic circuit complexity theory—the study of algebraic expressions as circuit models—is a natural framework for studying the complexity of algorithmic computation. Algebraic circuit complexity enables the study of generalization by defining benchmarks in terms of the computational requirements for solving a problem. Moreover, algebraic circuits are generic mathematical objects; an arbitrarily large number of samples can be generated for a specified circuit, making it an ideal experimental sandbox for the data-hungry models that are used today. In this Perspective, we adopt tools from algebraic circuit complexity, apply them to formalize a science of algorithmic generalization, and address key challenges for its successful application to AI science.</p>