Approximate unitary equivalence of homomorphisms from O_{\infty}

Abstract

We prove that if two homomorphisms from O_{\infty} to a purely infinite simple C*-algebra have the same class in KK-theory, and if either both are unital or both are nonunital, then they are approximately unitarily equivalent. It follows that O_{\infty} is classifiable in the sense of Rordam. In particular, Rordam's classification theorem for direct limits of matrix algebras over even Cuntz algebras extends to direct limits involving both matrix algebras over even Cuntz algebras and corners of O_{\infty}, for which the K_0-group can be an arbitrary countable abelian group with no even torsion.