Instead, it will be a slow process of improvement, spurred on by fresh ideas for what to do with the machines — and by clever coders developing new algorithms.
And despite all the hype, it’s a slow-moving one as well, Hensinger adds. “There’s not going to be this one point when suddenly we have a rainbow coming out of our lab and all problems can be solved,” he says. Instead, it will be a slow process of improvement, spurred on by fresh ideas for what to do with the machines — and by clever coders developing new algorithms. “What’s really important right now is to build a quantum-skilled workforce,” he says.