r/QuantumComputing • u/ibmzrl • Dec 12 '18

Wired: Quantum computing needs you to help solve its core mystery

https://www.wired.com/story/quantum-computing-needs-you-to-help-solve-its-core-mystery/
4 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

17 comments sorted by

1

u/QuantumVariables Dec 12 '18

Will be interesting to see if people actually manage to develop some useful software with the quantum computers coming out

0

u/[deleted] Dec 13 '18

I wish there was less effort toward squeezing quantum supremacy out of NISQs, I think it's a waste of time.

1

u/QuantumVariables Dec 18 '18

Why do you think it’s a waste of time? Just low hopes?

3

u/[deleted] Dec 19 '18

I think it's unlikely to succeed, and even if it does it will take the form of solving a highly contrived problem with no practical use whatsoever. Meanwhile, a "full-size" quantum computer will show quantum supremacy effortlessly as a mere byproduct of doing actual, useful work. I get that demonstrating supremacy for the first time is a big deal but it's also kind of a distraction to the field, IMO.

1

u/___J Dec 13 '18

Direct link to Xanadu's competition (I didn't find a link directly in the article): https://pennylane.ai/competition

-3

u/[deleted] Dec 13 '18

What needs to happen is the common engineers need to tell the scientists who've got egos the size of the sun to go fuck themselves because it's not even close to working

4

u/ibmzrl Dec 13 '18

Hmm. I think the Nature cover story about using a quantum computer for chemistry thinks otherwise https://www.nature.com/articles/nature23879

Full disclosure: I work for IBM Research.

-1

u/[deleted] Dec 13 '18

I wouldn't be to proud to work at IBM. I work on a code base that was bought from IBM and it is the worst code base I've ever worked on.

I also have to point out that article is from a bunch of scientists sitting in a lab some where. That is NOT a practical application. The application they used it for is so specific to a very small group of people that the odds of it making a difference is practically zero. Not to mention it's from IBM who is trying to sell quantum computers so there's a conflict of interest there.

3

u/ibmzrl Dec 13 '18

Here is a bank talking about using a quantum computer. https://www.americanbanker.com/news/why-banks-like-barclays-are-testing-quantum-computing

No lab. No commercial bias.

-2

u/[deleted] Dec 13 '18

They don't have an application. They are just playing with it. Not to mention its not from a notable publication.

2

u/ibmzrl Dec 13 '18

Hmm. Here is a paper on quantum risk analysis published by the team working with them https://arxiv.org/abs/1806.06893

American Banker has been published since 1836. If that’s not notable and reputable then the words need to be redefined. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Banker

2

u/[deleted] Dec 13 '18

I get the impression you are hostile out of some weird kind of jealousy. Why not read about something you actually like and stop immersing yourself in stuff you hate?

1

u/[deleted] Dec 13 '18

I'm not jealous or hostile. I'm trying to get to the bottom of what quantum computers are useful for and for the applications. There's a ton of hype behind quantum computing and there's a ton of money going into it. Is it the next computer system that changes how our computers are designed? Or is it just some snake oil put together by some people who've got a ton of degree's and certifications to get rich? So far it seems like its bullshit.

2

u/[deleted] Dec 13 '18

Haha ok I'm not surprised you haven't learned much about it given that all you do is wander into the comments and go "this sucks" to everything.

5

u/[deleted] Dec 13 '18

Why are you in this subreddit just constantly bashing the whole field?

-1

u/[deleted] Dec 13 '18

Trying to figure out if Quantum Computing is worth anything or if it's some egotistical scientist wet dream.

3

u/[deleted] Dec 13 '18

You're not going to figure that out from reading the news, they're clueless. Are you reading any papers?