Quantum computing is mostly a hoax. At least how it is presented to investors and the public. Quantum Computers will maybe be capable of solving a very small set of problems much more efficiently than regular computers, most of these problems aren’t of any parctical importance. It is a massive (financial) bubble that is going to burst soon.
most of these problems aren’t of any parctical importance.
Well sure, but one of them is extremely important. Factoring integers rapidly is very useful, even if it completely destroys one of the most important encryption algorithms.
Not that this computer does, or could. RSA is still safe.
Because security is still a big deal. There are post quantum algorithms, but there are similar post quantum algorithms that have been proven to be flawed. It’s important to allow technology like this to mature prior to adoption.
“Hoax” makes it sound like the involved scientists aren’t shouting this from the damn rooftops.
The economically important problems they beat are breaking encryption (actually counterproductive) and simulating other quantum systems (like reacting molecules, which could be useful). There’s other neat tricks they can do but they’re underwhelming to anybody who’s not a technical person, and it’s possible we’ll discover more substantially impactful algorithms but it’s hard so don’t hold your breath.
As someone working for a small company that actually uses Quantum computing (specifically Quantum Annealing) for doing something important - I agree that a lot of the industry noise about quantum at this point is speculative.
That’s one of the reasons it’s hard to break through the noise when we have evidence of success. But we’re starting to get some positive feedback.
I am not part of the team that programs the Quantum Annealer, so don’t have much technical details.
That’s a bit of a broad strike no? That’s like saying the invention of the modern computing is mostly a “hoax”, all they are capable of doing is adding numbers together faster than a human.
We already know we can transform certain problems that are computationally expensive to be solved by quantum computers. I’m sure more Algorithms can be developed to take advantage of that in the future as well.
Maybe. But when the research director of the bank of america says that quantum computing will be “bigger than fire” and surveys indicate that more than half of the economy is thinking that quantum computing will play a role in their business by 2025, it is time to ring the alarms.
Quantum computing is mostly a hoax. At least how it is presented to investors and the public. Quantum Computers will maybe be capable of solving a very small set of problems much more efficiently than regular computers, most of these problems aren’t of any parctical importance. It is a massive (financial) bubble that is going to burst soon.
Well sure, but one of them is extremely important. Factoring integers rapidly is very useful, even if it completely destroys one of the most important encryption algorithms.
Not that this computer does, or could. RSA is still safe.
Yes, but there are already algorithms which can replace it.
I am wondering why we are waiting, if it’s an inevitability
Because security is still a big deal. There are post quantum algorithms, but there are similar post quantum algorithms that have been proven to be flawed. It’s important to allow technology like this to mature prior to adoption.
“Hoax” makes it sound like the involved scientists aren’t shouting this from the damn rooftops.
The economically important problems they beat are breaking encryption (actually counterproductive) and simulating other quantum systems (like reacting molecules, which could be useful). There’s other neat tricks they can do but they’re underwhelming to anybody who’s not a technical person, and it’s possible we’ll discover more substantially impactful algorithms but it’s hard so don’t hold your breath.
As someone working for a small company that actually uses Quantum computing (specifically Quantum Annealing) for doing something important - I agree that a lot of the industry noise about quantum at this point is speculative.
That’s one of the reasons it’s hard to break through the noise when we have evidence of success. But we’re starting to get some positive feedback.
I am not part of the team that programs the Quantum Annealer, so don’t have much technical details.
That’s a bit of a broad strike no? That’s like saying the invention of the modern computing is mostly a “hoax”, all they are capable of doing is adding numbers together faster than a human.
We already know we can transform certain problems that are computationally expensive to be solved by quantum computers. I’m sure more Algorithms can be developed to take advantage of that in the future as well.
Maybe. But when the research director of the bank of america says that quantum computing will be “bigger than fire” and surveys indicate that more than half of the economy is thinking that quantum computing will play a role in their business by 2025, it is time to ring the alarms.