A remark on contractible Banach algebras (Q2846873)

A Banach algebra \(A\) is said to be contractible if, for every Banach \(A\)-bimodule \(E\), every derivation \(D : A \to E\) is inner. It is a long standing open conjecture that every contractible Banach algebra is finite-dimensional and, consequently, a finite direct sum of full matrix algebras. A partial result towards this conjecture is due to \textit{V.\ I.\ Paulsen} and \textit{R.\ R.\ Smith} [Proc. Edinb. Math. Soc., II. Ser. 45, No. 3, 647--652 (2002; Zbl 1031.46065)]: they proved that the conjecture is true if \(A\) is a subalgebra of \(\mathcal{B}(H)\), the algebra of all bounded linear operators on a Hilbert space \(H\).NEWLINENEWLINEIn this splendid little note, the author shows that the conjecture remains true if \(H\) is replaced by a Banach space with the UGAP, which stands for the uniform Grothendieck approximation property. (A Banach space is said to have the UGAP if each of its ultrapowers has the Grothendieck approximation property.)