Amazon Joins Race for Quantum Computer With New Caltech Center

Amazon is officially entering the race to develop a quantum computer, joining U.S. and Chinese rivals in the quest to harness the properties of nature's tiniest particles into computing power far surpassing existing machines. From a report: Amazon will base its quantum team at a new center on the campus of Caltech in Pasadena, Calif., which officially opens this week. Caltech described it as the first "corporate-partnership building" on the university's campus, showing "Caltech's interests in bringing fundamental science to the marketplace." The investment reflects growing corporate interest in quantum computers, which are still at an early stage of development but could someday crack problems that existing computers can't, such as identifying new materials to capture and remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, or new chemical compounds to treat intractable diseases. In the defense sphere, some scientists believe quantum computers might someday be able to break existing forms of encryption, making them a hot development priority for the United States, China and other nations.

"Quantum Computer" , the latest buzzphrase

[Viol8]

... to reel in venture capital **. The whole "AI" thing is starting to plateau and its limits are becoming visible so the suckers ^H^H^H^H investors need to be scammed with some new Techno Shiny Shiny and honeyed words.

** Admittedly not that Bezos needs that right now, but it applies to the others

Re:

[gweihir]

Indeed. It is flying cars all over, time and again. And people pour money in it _after_ it is really, really clear this stuff will not work anytime soon and may never work.

Even better!

[thragnet]

Quantum blockchain - a distributed ledger where all transactions co-exist in superposition with their reversals. Now we're talkin' about some awesome accounting. Seems to be working for Tether...

Re:

[EvilSS]

So if I commit fraud in this new field of quantum accounting, am I simultaneously locked up and stripped of my assets and living on a private island with my ill gotten gains?

Re:

[madejustforthisreply]

Yes and no.

Makes sense

[EvilSS]

Amazon owns AWS and cloud providers like AWS will be in a good position to supply time on them so companies don't need to invest in the hardware, especially in the early days while companies are trying to find commercial uses for them.

That stupidity again

[gweihir]

There is only a race to failure to be had. Any other tech that non-performs _this_ long would have been abandoned long ago. Seems something about this "magic" motivates the clueless.

Can we lump this in with AI (AGI) and forget about it and do something worthwhile instead?

Re:

[avandesande]

Your wrong. Fusion-powered quantum personal devices are right around the corner.

Re:

[gweihir]

Your wrong. Fusion-powered quantum personal devices are right around the corner.

Is that the corner where the cat lives or the one where it dies?

Re:

[avandesande]

It depends, have you looked?

Re:

[gweihir]

I am afraid of what I could be finding. Better leave this one open...

Re:

[know-nothing cunt]

Can we lump this in with AI (AGI) and forget about it and do something worthwhile instead?

To be fair, Amazon is also Building a Clubhouse Competitor That Turns Hosts Into DJs [slashdot.org]. So there you go.

Love all the naysayers here...

[al0ha]

One thing you all glossed over - this involves the number 1 technical educational and research university on the globe. Caltech's storied history is accomplishing that which was just a few years previously seen as impossible.

Go Beavers!

Amazon Managed Quantum Computing Service

[cigawoot]

AMQCS coming to an AWS Management Console near you.

P = NP?

[rapjr]

If quantum computers can break encryption does that mean P = NP?