Quantum computing, AI and what we can do about it
Imagine a problem so impossibly complex that if our most advanced supercomputer tried solving it, it would take 10 septillion years - longer than the entire existence of our universe.
Google just shattered that timeline with their latest quantum computer chip. In five minutes.
Let that sink in.
To visualize this:
If you started counting one number per second right now...
And you'd still be nowhere near finishing.
But a quantum computer? Done in 5 minutes.
This isn't just an incremental improvement. It's a fundamental leap that hints at computing's transformative future.
Breathless coverage
This is the tone of most technical and AI coverage - the almost breathless excitement of potential scientific and technological breakthroughs with AI. Agentic AI! Life will be transformed!
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A historical perspective, the other side of the same coin
Sometimes it is useful to step back and see just how well brilliant minds are able to predict the future.
We don't have to go back too far, just to the late 1800s. During this time leading scientists believed scientific discovery was nearly complete. Prominent physicists confidently claimed that "nothing new" remained to be discovered in their field. The periodic table seemed fully understood, biological principles appeared comprehensively mapped, and the universe's structure looked straightforward.
Of course, this turned out to be spectacularly wrong.
Looking ahead
Where will our predictions take us—toward extraordinary technological breakthroughs or a more grounded, pragmatic reality? I think the answer depends on how well we, as humans, learn to collaborate—with each other and with machines.
The truth is, we often struggle to work together, even within the same organization. We get bogged down by metrics that don’t matter and let valuable knowledge about our customers, employees, and operations atrophy from neglect. And even when we recognize the problem and try to solve it by collaborating better, our workflows between departments are often anything but simple—or joyful. We don't speak the same language or care about the same things.
Good news for cutting-edge leaders
Here’s the good news: this is something we can change. It’s in our control.
I’ve been fortunate to work with leaders who’ve embraced this challenge. By focusing on the basics—creating clear, cross-functional measures and building a culture of knowledge-sharing where every interaction with knowledge leaves it in a better place for the next person—they’ve achieved remarkable results.
I can't wait to see how we can use the power of AI - sans hype - make the lives of our customers and employees better.
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