TechStuff Unlocking Our Quantum Future
Nov 18, 2025
Join Malcolm Gladwell and quantum computing expert Jay Gambetta, IBM's Director of Research, as they dive into the revolutionary world of quantum technology. Gambetta shares insights on IBM's ambitious plans to scale quantum computers and explores practical challenges like qubit stability. They discuss current applications in healthcare and finance, revealing how quantum enhances drug design and risk modeling. Jay encourages a diverse range of professionals to engage with quantum, emphasizing its growing importance in various fields.
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IBM Research's Global Scale And Focus
- IBM Research spans 3,000 researchers across global labs and focuses on foundational tech like semiconductors, AI, hybrid cloud, and quantum.
- Jay Gambetta will bring quantum expertise to the broader research agenda and new mathematics combining quantum and AI.
From Interpretations To Building Qubits
- Jay Gambetta moved from Australia to Yale to work on superconducting qubits after doing a PhD on interpretations of quantum mechanics.
- He shifted from debating foundations to building hardware because experiments were needed to test quantum mechanics at macroscopic scales.
Quantum Adds A New Computational Primitive
- Classical computers excel at arithmetic and parallel numeric work, while quantum machines use a different algebra related to quantum mechanics.
- Quantum computing adds a new primitive to computer science that can solve problems impractical for classical arithmetic-based machines.