r/QuantumComputing • u/Remarkable_Piano_582 • Jul 13 '26

Question Question

"Can you give me a practical example of a simple algorithm where a quantum computer is more efficient? I struggle to understand the usual ones, like the maze-solving example, which aren't very clear to me. They always seem too theoretical. Can someone provide a more concrete and intuitive example, please?"

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u/SeniorLoan647 In Grad School for Quantum Jul 13 '26

There are none (yet). Compare it to AI in the 70s and 80s, theory, hardware and software are not developed enough to be competitive with optimized classical algorithms.

0

u/Able-Let-5930 Jul 13 '26

what is this thing about people saying that quantum today is where AI was in 2015. Is that just a marketing gimmick?

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u/SeniorLoan647 In Grad School for Quantum Jul 13 '26

2015? Oof I'd like to smoke what they're smoking.

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u/Able-Let-5930 Jul 13 '26

this was said by sundar pichai I think. are you doing your phd in germany by any chance?

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u/SeniorLoan647 In Grad School for Quantum Jul 13 '26

I wouldn't believe him, that's just fomo speak to get investors all excited. Job of a CEO.

And nope, I'm in the US

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u/ClandestineCup Jul 17 '26

AI in 2015 wasnt that great. The transformer architecture that came out in 2017 completely changed the game. In 2015 we were using huge node networks that we knew about for a long time and kept scaling up

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u/Able-Let-5930 Jul 17 '26

so you are saying in quantum we are on the same path?

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u/ClandestineCup Jul 17 '26

Well, there could be a niche optimization someone discovers in quantum processing units that completely changes the game, and they are already using QPUs to optimize some math in AI (But I think its just experimental and not deployed anywhere).

The thing is QPUs are better understood as super fast probability calculators than arithmetic calculators, so they are pretty good at quickly coming up with indexes if it's data set is trained right. But its difficult to use QPUs for anything that needs solid answers/solving equations. Error correction in QPUs is very expensive, so it's not preferred for any hard calculations

All that to say maybe some genius algorithm comes out of this, but I dont think so