From the first post on this subject 6 years ago, an effort has been made to instill skepticism about the claims:
"Speaking of which, a primitive form of quantum computer has been operating in Vancouver lately, though some question whether it is, in fact, a "quantum computer". It performs only a limited type of processing, but does not lack for customers."
Message 23579842
With that in mind, the latest post concluded with this quote -- 'Whether D-Wave will make for faster-running or better artificial-intelligence systems is yet to be seen. Lidar says that he has seen faster solvers. “Every problem we have tested can still be solved faster on classical computers,” he says.'
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Still, some heavy hitters are investing and buying. Why? From the referenced blog:
"The Argument from Consequences
Let me end this post with an argument that several of my friends in physics have explicitly made to me—not in the exact words below but in similar ones.
“Look, Scott, let the investors, government bureaucrats, and gullible laypeople believe whatever they want—and let D-Wave keep telling them whatever’s necessary to stay in business. It’s unsportsmanlike and uncollegial of you to hold D-Wave’s scientists accountable for whatever wild claims their company’s PR department might make. After all, we’re in this game too! Our universities put out all sorts of overhyped press releases, but we don’t complain because we know that it’s done for our benefit. Besides, you’d doubtless be trumpeting the same misleading claims, if you were in D-Wave’s shoes and needed the cash infusions to survive. Anyway, who really cares whether there’s a quantum speedup yet or no quantum speedup? At least D-Wave is out there trying to build a scalable quantum computer, and getting millions of dollars from Jeff Bezos, Lockheed, Google, the CIA, etc. etc. to do so—resources more of which would be directed our way if we showed a more cooperative attitude! If we care about scalable QCs ever getting built, then the wise course is to celebrate what D-Wave has done—they just demonstrated quantum annealing on 100 qubits, for crying out loud! So let’s all be grownups here, focus on the science, and ignore the marketing buzz as so much meaningless noise—just like a tennis player might ignore his opponent’s trash-talking (‘your mother is a whore,’ etc.) and focus on the game.”
I get this argument: really, I do. I even concede that there’s something to be said for it."
scottaaronson.com
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It's reminiscent of the hullabaloo around Bloom Energy fuel cells. We see big financial inputs despite the fact that performance gains vs. competitors are negligible. The reason is not clear. One inference: the purported strategy is not the real aim. WG's suggestion that D-Wave is attempting to corner IP was made years ago, by others.
After researching this matter when first posted, I agree that D-Wave has not created a true quantum computer. Nevertheless, D-Wave's product appears to be finding a niche. Does it have limited (but usable) functionality? The skeptics say no. Yet it's difficult to dispute the technological credentials of buyers, who are putting more than opinion on the line. Far more.
Whatever the game might be, it's provocatively interesting.
Jim |
