Quantum Computational Supremacy

In Fall 2019, a team at Google made the first claim of "quantum computational supremacy"---that is, a clear advantage for a quantum computer over current classical computers on a contrived benchmark task---using a 53-qubit programmable superconducting chip called Sycamore. Since then, groups at USTC in China and Xanadu in Toronto have made additional such claims. In addition to engineering, these experiments built on a decade of research in quantum computing theory. This talk will discuss questions like: what exactly were the benchmark problems solved? How do we verify the outputs using a classical computer? How good have classical computers since gotten at the same tasks---good enough to call the quantum supremacy claims into doubt? And where do we go next?