Quantum Supremacy Explained

The speaker explains quantum supremacy as the point when a quantum computer surpasses classical supercomputers in solving a specific problem, highlighting its imminent arrival. The explanation delves into how quantum computers function, detailing concepts like qubits, superposition, and entanglement, which grant them their computational power. The speaker discusses various types of quantum computers, including universal quantum computers and specialized systems like quantum annealers, noting key developers such as Google, Intel, and IBM. The process of demonstrating quantum supremacy involves a "sampling problem," where a quantum computer naturally generates probability distributions that are incredibly difficult for classical computers to simulate. While the immediate practical applications of this specific problem are limited, the speaker emphasizes the monumental achievement of quantum technology outperforming classical computing, even in a narrow domain, given the vast difference in investment and development time. The discussion concludes with an illustration of the exponential power of quantum computing, noting that simulating a 260-qubit system would require more bits than atoms in the known universe.