3 ms·

If it is real now, why can't we do the following: 1. Take a problem that is impossible to solve with classical computers (e.g. from combinatorics, number facto

If it is real now, why can't we do the following: 1. Take a problem that is impossible to solve with classical computers (e.g. from combinatorics, number factorization), but whose solution can be verified easily. 2. Solve it on their quantum computer. D-Wave keeps saying they have a quantum computer since 5 years now, yet they have not produced any proof of quantum speed up achieved with their machine.

wolfgke 10y ago
For a long time it was controversial whether D-Wave's systems even used quantum effects - but now the consensus is that they do. D-Wave's systems implement some (restricted) kind of adiabatic quantum computing/quantum annealing. Even from a theoretical perspective it is up to now hardly understood in what sense quantum annealing is more powerful (in terms of better possible running time opposed to classical annealing combined with specialized algorithms). So you cannot simply implement some well-known quantum algorithm as Shor's on D-Wave's systems.
- ThePhysicist 10y ago
  Yes I understand that quantum annealing is different, but the whole point of having a quantum computer is that it is able to solve interesting mathematical problems, or at the very least is able to simulate other quantum systems efficiently (beyond nearest-neighbor Ising models). To my understanding, the D-Wave system has demonstrated neither of these things so far.
  - wolfgke 10y ago
    > but the whole point of having a quantum computer is that it is able to solve interesting mathematical problems > To my understanding, the D-Wave system has demonstrated neither of these things so far. There are different opinions whether D-Wave's quantum computer is able to solve interesting mathematical problems. Here are some - decide for yourself whether you consider them as interesting or not (I'm personally on the side that it is not the kind of application I am interested in, but can imagine that there might be people for whose these might be useful): > https://www.quora.com/What-are-some-cool-possible-applications-of-the-D-Wave-quantum-computer https://www.quora.com/What-are-some-cool-possible-applicatio... Here D-Wave's marketing about applications - read them with a grain of salt ;-) : > http://www.dwavesys.com/quantum-computing/applications http://www.dwavesys.com/quantum-computing/applications

wolfgke 10y ago

For a long time it was controversial whether D-Wave's systems even used quantum effects - but now the consensus is that they do. D-Wave's systems implement some (restricted) kind of adiabatic quantum computing/quantum annealing. Even from a theoretical perspective it is up to now hardly understood in what sense quantum annealing is more powerful (in terms of better possible running time opposed to classical annealing combined with specialized algorithms). So you cannot simply implement some well-known quantum algorithm as Shor's on D-Wave's systems.

ThePhysicist 10y ago
Yes I understand that quantum annealing is different, but the whole point of having a quantum computer is that it is able to solve interesting mathematical problems, or at the very least is able to simulate other quantum systems efficiently (beyond nearest-neighbor Ising models). To my understanding, the D-Wave system has demonstrated neither of these things so far.
- wolfgke 10y ago
  > but the whole point of having a quantum computer is that it is able to solve interesting mathematical problems > To my understanding, the D-Wave system has demonstrated neither of these things so far. There are different opinions whether D-Wave's quantum computer is able to solve interesting mathematical problems. Here are some - decide for yourself whether you consider them as interesting or not (I'm personally on the side that it is not the kind of application I am interested in, but can imagine that there might be people for whose these might be useful): > https://www.quora.com/What-are-some-cool-possible-applications-of-the-D-Wave-quantum-computer https://www.quora.com/What-are-some-cool-possible-applicatio... Here D-Wave's marketing about applications - read them with a grain of salt ;-) : > http://www.dwavesys.com/quantum-computing/applications http://www.dwavesys.com/quantum-computing/applications