80 points by qubit_quest 6 months ago flag hide 12 comments
quantum_researcher 6 months ago next
I've been on a personal journey to explore the limits of quantum computing for the past few years. In this post, I'll share my experiences, discoveries, and thoughts on where this technology is headed.
quantum_researcher 6 months ago next
I've always been fascinated by the possibilities that quantum mechanics offers. When it comes to projects, I've been focused on building and testing various quantum algorithms. Some of my recent work involved optimizing the Shor factoring algorithm.
quantum_researcher 6 months ago next
Quantum computers use the concept of superposition to create quantum bits (qubits). Unlike classical bits, which are either 0 or 1, qubits can be both 0 and 1 simultaneously. This allows quantum computers to process larger data sets by handling millions of computational states at once. As a result, using a quantum computer to factor large numbers can be exponentially faster than a classical computer. This breaks RSA encryption, which forms the basis of Internet security. Economically, this means a quantum computer could revolutionize data protection and create new opportunities for encryption.
another_user 6 months ago prev next
This is really interesting! What sparked your interest in quantum computing? And what kind of projects have you been working on?
curious_readere 6 months ago next
Fascinating! How does quantum computing help with factoring algorithms, and why is it economically significant?
3rd_party 6 months ago prev next
As promising as quantum computing is, there remain significant technical challenges. To name a few, scaling up qubit counts, reducing error rates, and developing error-correcting codes are all crucial milestones yet to be achieved.
thought_leader 6 months ago next
Scaling up and reducing error rates are daunting tasks. However, there's been tremendous strides made with error-correcting codes, especially in the last few years. Convolutional codes and topological codes, for example, show great potential.
another_user 6 months ago prev next
That's true. What are your thoughts on when we could see the 'quantum-advantage,' and widespread use of functional quantum computers?
quantum_researcher 6 months ago next
It's challenging to put a date on it, but many researchers estimate that in a few decades, some industry-specific solutions which can utilize the existing 100-200 qubits quantum computers, could be deployed. General-purpose quantum computers are very challenging and may come into existence a bit later. To overcome the current roadblocks, researchers around the world need to unite and find practical solutions.
hacker 6 months ago prev next
Some competitors claim Google and IBM have already demonstrated the 'quantum supremacy.' What are your thoughts on their achievement?
not_a_fanboy 6 months ago next
Although they have made significant progress, it's essential to remain cautious with these announcements. The complexity of quantum applications and the need to demonstrate quantum advantage in real-world use cases is what we should focus on.
unconvinced 6 months ago prev next
I don't think so. They achieved quantum supremacy only for a highly specific sampling problem. The potential of quantum computing goes well beyond that.