Quantum Computational Advantage: Recent Progress and Next Steps
Abstract: This talk is motivated by the question: why do we put so much effort and investment into quantum computing? A short answer is that we expect quantum advantages for practical problems. To achieve this goal, it is essential to reexamine existing experiments and propose new protocols for future quantum advantage experiments.
In 2019, Google published a paper in Nature claiming to have achieved quantum computational advantage, also known as quantum supremacy. In this talk, I will explain how they arrived at their claim and its implications. I will also discuss recent theoretical and numerical developments that challenge this claim and reveal fundamental limitations in their approach.
Due to these new developments, it is imperative to design the next generation of experiments. I will briefly mention three potential approaches: efficiently verifiable quantum advantage and quantum algorithms on analog devices for practical problems, including machine learning and combinatorial optimization.
Bio: Xun Gao is a postdoc at Harvard (MPHQ fellowship). Xun received his PhD from Tsinghua University. His work explores the power and applications of near-term quantum computers, including quantum machine learning, quantum optimization algorithm and simulation of noisy quantum devices.