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Today's Topics:
1. PsiQuantum .. and $600 million from the Australian government
(Stephen Loosley)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Tue, 29 Oct 2024 23:40:20 +1030
From: Stephen Loosley <[email protected]>
To: "link" <[email protected]>
Subject: [LINK] PsiQuantum .. and $600 million from the Australian
government
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
Pete Shadbolt on Tackling the Challenges of Quantum Computing & Its Future
Impact on Everyday Life
The bold approach of the company has garnered significant financial backing,
including .. $600 million from the Australian government, where they plan to
build their first utility-scale system.
By James Dargan October 21, 2024
https://thequantuminsider.com/2024/10/21/pete-shadbolt-on-tackling-the-challenges-of-quantum-computing-its-future-impact-on-everyday-life/
Insider Brief:
* PsiQuantum, founded in 2016, is focused on scaling quantum computing to one
million qubits, far beyond todays systems, to unlock its transformative
potential across industries like pharmaceuticals, materials science, and energy.
* Co-founder Pete Shadbolt highlighted PsiQuantum success in manufacturing
quantum chips in commercial semiconductor foundries, positioning them to build
large-scale, photonic-based quantum systems.
* With $700 million in private funding and $600 million from the Australian
government, PsiQuantum aims to build a one-million-qubit quantum computer by
2027, driving the next wave of quantum innovation.
In a recent conversation, Pete Shadbolt, co-founder and Chief Scientific
Officer of PsiQuantum, went into the details on the ambitious future of quantum
computing and its potential to disrupt industries.
Speaking alongside quantum expert Johannes Galatsanos, Shadbolt discussed the
journey of PsiQuantum, the unique challenges in building quantum computers, and
how this transformative technology will eventually impact everyday life.
Since its founding in 2016, PsiQuantum has been at the forefront of quantum
computing innovation.
Quantum computing is not a get-rich-quick endeavor, Shadbolt remarked,
stressing that many people, including his co-founder Jeremy OBrien, have
dedicated their entire adult lives to making quantum computing a reality.
The field, according to Shadbolt, has come a long way from its humble
beginnings when getting a single qubit to work was a monumental achievement.
Now, even young students can access real quantum computers via platforms like
AWS and Google Cloud.
However, the real challenge lies in scaling these systems. Shadbolt explained
that to achieve the promised applications of quantum computing, systems need to
scale up to around a million qubits???far beyond the small systems seen today.
You need a very large system to realize the promised applications of quantum
computing, and by very large, I mean about a million qubits relative to the
maybe 100 that Google has today, he said.
PsiQuantum is fully committed to this path, aiming to avoid the science
fiction-like characteristics often associated with quantum computing by
building more conventional, microelectronics-based systems.
The company progress has been swift, with Shadbolt proudly noting their ability
to manufacture quantum chips in commercial semiconductor foundries.
We can now build quantum chips in a commercial semiconductor foundry, he
shared, underscoring the significance of leveraging established manufacturing
environments for their photonic-based quantum systems.
Despite the challenges ahead, PsiQuantum is confident in its ability to build
large-scale quantum computers. Shadbolt expressed optimism about their
PsiQuantum track record of overcoming doubts, including doubts within their own
team.
We have executed on many things that people doubted, like putting
superconductors into a commercial foundry and developing a completely new 300
mm epitaxial deposition process, said Shadbolt.
As for when quantum computers will directly impact everyday life, Shadbolt
provided a grounded perspective. He dismissed the notion that everyone will
need to program or interact with quantum computers directly, likening their
role to that of semiconductor fabs.
Semiconductor fabs are alien technology for most people? The second or
third-order products of the technology become democratized and impact peoples
lives, he explained. In the same way, Shadbolt sees quantum computing to fuel
advancements in industries like pharmaceuticals, materials science, and energy,
making its influence felt indirectly.
For the future, PsiQuantum has set ambitious goals, including plans to build a
one-million-qubit quantum computer by the end of 2027.
The bold company approach has garnered significant financial backing, including
$700 million in private funding and $600 million from the Australian
government, where they plan to build their first utility-scale system.
Shadbolt and PsiQuantum are poised to lead the quantum revolution, and while
the road ahead is complex, the company is steadfast in its mission.
We have set ourselves extremely aggressive timelines and then work like hell to
deliver, Shadbolt said, a statement that reflects the determination driving
PsiQuantum toward a future where quantum computing becomes a reality.
--
James Dargan is a writer and researcher at The Quantum Insider. His focus is on
the QC startup ecosystem and he writes articles on the space that have a tone
accessible to the average reader.
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