How Quantum Computing Changes Everything
The internal combustion engine, electricity and telephony were paradigm shifts that shaped the Industrial Age. These general purpose technologies (GPTs) are powerful precisely because their benefits aren’t limited to a single sector.
We’re lucky to live at a time in which several new GPTs are on the cusp of changing our world forever. But there’s one GPT in particular that could radically transform how we live:?quantum computing.?
Quantum computers harness quantum physics to represent and process information much quicker than classical computers can. That will revolutionise fields from machine learning and biology to physics and finance, helping us find answers to questions we didn’t even know to ask.
This week,?I discussed the power of quantum computing with?Chad Rigetti, the founder and CEO of California-based Rigetti Computing. Rigetti’s team designs and builds quantum computers and processors. They’re known as pioneers in full-stack quantum computing.
In our conversation, Chad and I cover:
- Why Rigetti builds its own chips (and the advantages of that approach) [20.29]
- How quantum machines could crack physics’ deepest mysteries [31.29]
- The geopolitical race for quantum supremacy [34.20]
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Listen to the episode here, or read the?transcript here.
Why Quantum Computing Matters
Computing bang-for-your-buck improved rapidly for a good while, with miniaturisation and improvements in chip design ensuring computers became cheaper and more powerful at an exponential rate. While the slow down in Moore’s Law?has been addressed by other types of improvements, quantum, says Chad, could provide an even more powerful tonic:
[Q]uantum computing has emerged as potentially the successor to that global driver of economic development. With quantum computing, it's not just about miniaturization. [...] We're talking about better algorithms, better error-correcting codes, lower error rates on your physical quantum processor. [...] Ultimately, it would be reasonable to predict that there may even be an acceleration in the rate of advance of computing power overall as quantum computers truly come online.
Some of that might sound a bit abstract, but the rewards will be anything but. Quantum computing will make it exponentially quicker to solve problems?like pricing options in finance, finding novel materials to replace those produced using fossil fuels, or devising more efficient paths for delivery robots,
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Global Technology Executive | Driving Thriving | CEO | Founder | Brigadier General
3 年Thanks, Azeem & Chad. I enjoyed the conversation and loved this: "That partnership approach, that’s what we have taken at Rigetti, it is what has served us very well and is what we believe is really in the best interest of the nations that are really developing these quantum economies."
Advisor to corporate boards and C-suites at the point they realise they need a more solid grasp of the complexities of the #1 cause of climate change (yes, it's business energy use). Decarbonisation veteran (30 years).
3 å¹´I encourage our clients to get quantum-ready. Invest in some use-case pilots, meeting quantum computing where it is now, not merely dreaming about future possibilities.
Founder & CEO, Deep Learning Partnership. Maxed out on Connect. Please Follow.
3 å¹´We're currently at around 100 qubits. We need about 1 million for meaningful results. Still a long ways to go - maybe 10 years away?