News that two teams of Chinese scientists have achieved quantum advantage — a technical term for when a computer can perform functions beyond that of a classical computer — may be the signal that we have truly entered a new era. While Google’s 54-qubit quantum processor, Sycamore, became the first widely known example of early-stage quantum computing, the latest news out of the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei is the best proof yet that we have crossed the information rubicon.
But despite many reasons to be excited by these developments, there are reasons to be concerned, too. While we might all eagerly await the day when we can predict traffic jams, consign animal testing to the history books, or pinpoint someone’s likelihood of getting cancer and then engineer a unique treatment — all in seconds — its tremendous power has a dark side.