Quantum Computers, explained with MKBHD

medicines or molecules that we could make if we could better predict the way nature behaves on a molecular scale. There you go! Boom. Well, simulating nature is something

quantum

computers

could be amazing at, but we're also approaching another use for

quantum

computing, one that worries people and governments more... "Brand new encryption algorithms" "Break the encryption..." "Strong quantum encryption..." "A fully functional quantum computer could be built with code-breaking capabilities that could make all forms of online encryption untrustworthy..." Ok, nowThis is the one I've been waiting to ask : Why is everyone so obsessed with talking about quantum

computers

and encryption?

So the first major algorithm that was developed for quantum computers is the Shores algorithm, named after Peter Shore, a super nice guy. He invented an algorithm that can basically find factors, prime factors, for really big numbers. Why does anyone care about this? Because that's the basis of "RSA encryption" which is basically how all transactions are done on the Internet and the only reason all of our encryption schemes today work that way is because it's basically impossible to crack it with a classical encryption algorithm. brute force. I think it would take like billions of years. But a quantum computer could do it more efficiently, we're talking hours or days.

So this global race now makes a lot of sense. Whoever gets a quantum computer to do this has a big and obvious advantage. But we haven't done it yet. This is one that probably requires like a million qubits or more to make, but we're working on it. So we're not going to use quantum computers to break all Internet security right now. Today we are at 433 qubits, the record set by IBM. Between 400 and a million qubits is a big difference, but Olivia is confident we'll get there sooner than she thinks. In the next five years, or even less, we will see people switching to quantum-safe algorithms for this reason.

So RSA goes away and instead we have quantum secure encryption? Probably. Not all at once, yes, but little by little you will see how people do it. We are progressing at an incredibly fast pace. We are solving problems that people didn't even know how to solve two years ago. But we did it! Every year, everything we say we do, we do. Nothing mathematically or physically prevents it. And if physics says it's allowed, engineers will find a way. That is incredible. I'm imagining it, I'm slightly adjusting the analogy that it's a "submarine" because there are different levels of quantum computing...

Yeah, we're just skimming the surface. We will continue to iterate and improve this technology each year and will likely discover new applications that we haven't even considered yet. It's a bottomless ocean... It's a bottomless ocean! The tour was incredible and when we left we thought about what we learned: Impressive. Let me get on the highway and then I'll have thoughts... Quantum computers look exactly how I imagined them! They look like the photos. But something about being in person with her was like, oh... it helped me understand that this is a fundamentally different technology. It seems so strange.

I'm very glad that I was able to finish exploring that analogy and understand it completely as well and adjust it a little bit to at least summarize everything that I currently understand about quantum computers, in the sense that there is an evolution towards the future of them. and that they are specialized and really good at certain things. I like a good analogy and that helped a lot. Well, now what is your summary of the analogy? I think we can keep most of it—that is, our exploration of other fields of math, physics, and science was equivalent to other forms of transportation constantly moving around our imaginary video game island—but I like to adapt to "submarine." "because there are levels. it.

It's more of a bottomless ocean in the sense that we're just going to keep going! Technology improves, there is no physical limit. It just keeps getting better. Here's how Olivia expressed the dream of how we would actually use quantum computers: It's beautiful because of course we all want to make the world a better place, we want to develop technology that allows us to do fundamentally different and better things. . But it's also beautiful because, as part of the human experience, you simply want to know who we are and learn more about the world we live in. And the fact is: the world is quantum mechanical.

There you go! Thanks for coming. Peace! This episode was a lot of fun to make. Huge If True is a genuinely optimistic and journalistically rigorous show about finding ways to use technology to improve the world. If you believe in that, the best thing you can do to support us is to subscribe. And if you like this episode you should definitely subscribe because Marques and I already have another adventure planned. Also if you subscribe leave a comment and let me know. I would love to meet you. See you next time! (Thank you <3)