Quantum Computing 101 with D-Wave’s Vern Brownell

When you work, do you often use a computer? If the answer is yes, then the specific answer is: you use a classical computer. That is what your machine is considered today as humanity is on the brink of the quantum computing age.

Big Think interviewed Vern Brownell, the CEO of D-Wave, at Exponential Finance, presented by Singularity University & CNBC. D-Wave is a quantum computing technology company. Its clients include NASA and Google which jointly purchased a D-Wave Two computer to build a “Quantum Artificial Intelligence Lab” to develop machine learning.

How close are we to personal quantum computers? Well, we’re still stuck with classical computers, and they’re not going away any time soon. But Brownell’s life’s work is dedicated to moving to quantum computer-classical computer hybrids.

Imagine using a machine powered by atoms and molecules that processes data exceptionally faster than any silicon-based computer. Brownell explains what else we have to look forward to: “I see quantum computing as another set of tools, another resource, set of resources for scientists, researchers, computer scientists, programmers to develop and enhance some of these capabilities to really change the world in a much better way than we’re able to today with classical computing.  It’s not a replacement for classical computing.  It will be used in what I would call hybrid approach where you’re going to see both the capability that’s already been built in high performance computing and other types of computing markets working very closely with quantum computing resources.”

For Brownell’s insights into the budding quantum computer industry and how some of the big tech giants are catching this wave of the future, watch the clip from Big Think’s interview: