Alphabet Google: Quantum Computing in View
June 14, 2016
I read “Google Hartmut Neven Predicts That within 10 Years There Will Only Be Quantum Machine Learning and No Machine Learning on Classical Computers.” That works out to 3,600 days, give or take a few days. Years ago I included the Big O issue in my lectures about the algorithms used by most search and content processing vendors. Without wandering through that field again, traditional computing devices are not too helpful when asked to perform certain types of calculations.
The Googler in the “will be only” write up is predicting that Von Neumann’s goodies will be replaced with quantum gear. Keep in mind the “will be only.” That confidence and the categorical affirmative strike me as a bit on the wild side. I agree that new methods will arrive, but in 3,600 days?
Here’s what the write up tells me:
Google says it can scale up to that point relatively quickly, and other researchers in the field say it’s credible. It would likely take scaling up a little further to do useful work with an analog quantum computer. If and when Google or some other company does that, the devices could be used to crack tough chemistry problems in health or energy by simulating atoms to a level of realism impossible today.
I think the Alphabet Google thing is pretty good at technology. The company apparently has solved death, worked out how to put a computing device in one’s eye, and modified the Overture/GoTo advertising system to generate oodles of money.
But the “will be only” thing is a fresh new approach. Buy Alphabet Google stock now.
Stephen E Arnold, June 14, 2016
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