Does quantum computing actually have a future?

I've been seeing a lot of videos lately talking about how quantum computing is mostly just hype and it will never be able to have a substantial impact on computing. How true is this, from people who are actually in the industry? Yes it is poised to have an impact one day (but not today). No, we don't know when, but some very smart folks and groups worldwide are making efforts on it, with billions of dollars of funding coming into this field. I'd compare its current state to the very early days of AI winter (1970s-80s) when it was just markov chains and there was no clear use or path visible at that point. Don't listen to YouTubers about this space, it has a way of attracting a very high percentage of cranks, and half assed scientific knowledge. AI definitely hasn't helped with that aspect lol. Neither have marketing depts. of VC funded hype startups. I’ve been working nominally in the field for 6 years, since the Google supremacy claim . You are asking the right questions and there are no clear answers. “The first thing to realize, if you wish to become a philosopher, is that most people go through life with a whole world of beliefs that have no sort of rational justicfication, and that one man's world of beliefs is apt to be incompatible with another man's, so that they cannot both be right. People's opinions are mainly designed to make them feel comfortable; truth, for most people is a secondary consideration." ~ Bertrand Russell You see mostly hype in quantum computing because promises are the main thing that quantum computing companies can sell today. You could argue that this is the result of premature commercialization. But building a large scale qc was always going to take a lot of time and money to figure out, so you see businesses doing whatever they can to raise funds (or reputation) in the meantime. Some are more honest than others. Otherwise, there are some reasonable proposals for valuable things to do on qcs once we have them. No one knows if these will generate enough value to sustain the industry, or if we're going to find even more valuable applications in the future. Sure. Most of them are still slightly dishonest. And once you move out into communications with the general public, investors, and politicians, and YouTube, it's pretty much 100% BS. Oh, and don't ever look at the kind of shit you read in places like LinkedIn... been around for about 10 years. certain parts of the industry are complete hype (e.x. optimization, ML). other parts spin genuine algorithms (hamiltonian simulation ) into world-challenge applications like solving global warming or world hunger. some companies are much worse than others at peddling bullshit and it unfortunately muddles the field for laymen and investors. personally, promise of future tech doesn't really motivate me to stay in the field and I've thought about leaving a few times. but the algorithms are extremely under explored and I suspect in the coming decades people will figure out more uses for QC. also, no matter how you slice it the fact that we are able to control subatomic particles to the degree we can is incredible, especially considering how the field has evolved in the past 25 years. Why do you say QML is pure hype? Granted, applications on classical data seem limited at the moment, but QPCA, quantum reservoir computing, quantum Monte Carlo , etc. seem to genuinely have nice advantages over classical methods. I also thought the quantum optimization literature also showed a ton of promise still? you're going to have to send me papers you're seeing. I'm not familiar with quantum reservoir computing, but all of the QMC/optimization algos I've seen have low order polynomial speedups at best and the resource estimates for some of these things are exorbitant. Yes, absolutely. There are some models working now but unable to scale. AI will drive the development to scale and integrate and expand AI models.. I mean this is a pretty uninteresting question. You can't really predict the future like that, anyone who says they can is trying to sell you their opinion. We're not talking about something physically impossible, it's just hard to do. 50 years ago, there were plenty of people who said that computers would never have a substantial impact on every day life. They're big and only useful for universities and there's no real world applications. There's been plenty of discussions on this sub about more specific, scientific perspectives. 50 years ago, there were plenty of people who said that computers would never have a substantial impact on every day life. They're big and only useful for universities and there's no real world applications. Coincidentally, Jobs first saw Wozniak's prototype for the Apple I exactly 50 years ago (March 1, 1976). And until Apple, no one thought that a computer could be something that belonged in the home. I think its important to understand that Quantum Computing is an unknown. Thats what makes it exciting. Its something we are making progress on but its all new and we don't know its future. But have you ever looked back on something and said "wow it must be incredible to have worked in field abc when all this amazing things got discovered". That could be you now, you could be in this field when this happens. And to flip the script a bit, people, researchers like many here could very well be the difference between it having a future or not. For what its worth, AI had a similar past, people calling it hype, then the hype died. People saying "it could never do abc". Or "the effort it would need to make it possible is impossible". That was all until it became possible and everyone ate it up. Funny thing in life, if you want something to have a future, you must merely just need to go out and give it one. Theres no law of physics that prevents it so i confidently predict well get it one day. It already has an impact in some specific applications. Ie. Route optimization etc. You just need to be a math theory genius to figure out how to apply it in ways today’s limited qbits and error correction can work. At this time, quantum computing has no impact on any practical problems whatsoever. Go freaking read dude. Either a troll or a really challenged dense and uninformed to make that statement. I’m not going to waste my time to link to the hundreds of parents and PRODUCTION use of D wave in route optimization being used already for YEARS by credit card companies. I work in the gambling industry, I have an MEng in Computer Systems Engineering. DWave came and did a PoC with us around monte carlo simulations and some other bits. They were more accurate and more efficient. This is... Quite Important. You can imagine The House doesn't really go in for Theoritcal predictions, we're quite big on Getting It Right given we have, generally, 10s of millions riding around on various outcomes. I refer you to the manhattan project for answers about the power of quantum computing and its effects on secrets. Once energy obstacles are solutioned.. Quantum computing + AI = will change the world.

The Wright Flyer flew 120 feet on its first powered flight in 1903, 66 years later we landed on the Moon... Yes & a present. It’s already happening. Even the slow, fearful & too-cautious Germans, always the last to adopt, have accepted this & are accelerating. Quantum computing is a revolutionary technology with the potential to transform various fields, including artificial intelligence, cryptography, and optimization. However, its current capabilities and future prospects are often misunderstood. Here’s a succinct guide to the future potential of quantum computing based on insights from Redditors: Enhanced AI Capabilities: Quantum computing could significantly improve AI performance in specific areas. "Quantum will make AI better at some things but not others." Cost Reduction and Simulation: It could lower costs, enable new types of simulations, and boost reasoning-heavy components of AI. "Quantum computing won’t cause AGI, but it could supercharge whichever path wins — by lowering costs, enabling new types of simulation, and boosting reasoning-heavy components." Encryption Breaking: Quantum computers could potentially break current encryption methods like RSA in a fraction of the time. "A real full-blown quantum computer might be able to crack that encryption in hours or days." New Cryptographic Standards: The development of quantum-resistant cryptography is already underway. "We’re already migrating to post-quantum cryptography, NIST just standardized a bunch of algorithms." Logistics and Optimization: Quantum computing is particularly well-suited for solving complex optimization problems. "They are meant for solving logistics optimization problems and cryptography and stuff like that." Massive Data Sets: It could handle enormous data sets in fields like geology and astronomy. "The amount of information far beyond any one human." Limited Applicability: Quantum computers are not general-purpose and are only faster for specific algorithms. "Quantum computers are not general purpose by definition." Hybrid Systems: The most promising approach is a hybrid system combining classical and quantum computing. "The best path forward with current material science is a hybrid one where traditional computers handle most workloads, and quantum machines get called in for specialized tasks." Speculative Investments: The market for quantum computing stocks is highly speculative. "Quantum Computing Stocks Are Up 2500% With ZERO Revenue." High Costs and Minimal Revenue: Many companies in the sector are pre-revenue and burning cash. "Most of these companies are pre-revenue or generating minimal revenue with no clear path to profitability." Long-Term Potential: Despite the current challenges, quantum computing has significant long-term potential. "Let me be clear: quantum computing is real technology with genuine long-term potential." Gradual Progress: Expect gradual progress rather than immediate breakthroughs. "My assumptions put it in 6-8 year timeline." These communities can provide more in-depth discussions and up-to-date information on the future of quantum computing. Create your account and connect with a world of communities.