As a licensed quantum computologist (um... not really, but I do work for a major QC effort)... your skepticism is not misplaced. I can only speak for my place

As a licensed quantum computologist (um... not really, but I do work for a major QC effort)... your skepticism is not misplaced. I can only speak for my place of work (not publicly) and pass along scuttlebutt... but, my understanding is that it's largely the same everywhere. Some efforts have tight budgets, some have billions backing them; but QC research is hugely expensive with more unknowns than knowns. People giving out the cash want results sooner than later. At my workplace, the researchers are in a continual pitched battle with management to keep a rein on marketing, limit expectations, etc., and it's a major distraction. When management misunderstands an early result, and oversells it to their superiors (if not the press!), suddenly they think it's appropriate to make "Quantum Supremacy" a task with a 6-month deadline. It all makes me want to crawl into a box and take a nap.