{"id":71468,"date":"2024-01-25T00:47:39","date_gmt":"2024-01-25T05:47:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/world.edu\/?p=71468"},"modified":"2024-01-25T00:47:39","modified_gmt":"2024-01-25T05:47:39","slug":"australia-may-spend-hundreds-of-millions-of-dollars-on-quantum-computing-research-are-we-chasing-a-mirage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/world.edu\/australia-may-spend-hundreds-of-millions-of-dollars-on-quantum-computing-research-are-we-chasing-a-mirage\/","title":{"rendered":"Australia may spend hundreds of millions of dollars on quantum computing research. Are we chasing a mirage?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The Australian government is going all in on quantum computing. After investing more than $100 million on \u201cquantum technology\u201d\u00a0in 2021<\/a>, it is now\u00a0reportedly<\/a>\u00a0considering spending up to $200 million on purchasing a \u201cquantum computer\u201d from a US company.<\/p>\n

Is this a sensible decision? You might think so, if you read reports from\u00a0media<\/a>, industry and\u00a0government<\/a>\u00a0predicting that quantum computers will revolutionise many fields of science. Two common examples given are drastically accelerating the\u00a0design of better batteries<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0drug discovery<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Given the scale of investment, from governments around the world and also private companies, you might think quantum computers are a sure bet to reach these amazing goals. Unfortunately, in the words of US quantum computing theorist Scott Aaronson, the reality is \u201cmuch iffier<\/a>\u201d.
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Scott Aaronson on practical quantum speedups:<\/p>\n

"Billions of dollars are being invested in quantum computing in hopes to accelerate machine learning, optimization, finance, AI. As a quantum algorithms person, honesty compels me to report that the situation is much, much iffier." pic.twitter.com\/EOxtb4ovWb<\/a><\/p>\n

— Dulwich Quantum Computing (@DulwichQuantum) December 29, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n