Google CEO Sundar Pichai may have dropped a rare hint of what’s to come after the AI boom when he said quantum computing is approaching the same breakthrough moment that artificial intelligence (AI) hit five years ago.
In a recent interview broadcast on BBC Newsnight a week ago, Pichai said that the company’s quantum program is reaching an inflection point, stating: “I would say that quantum is where AI was maybe 5 years ago. So I think five years from now we will be going through a very exciting quantum phase.”
He added that Google is investing heavily in this next phase. For investors looking for the next big “artificial intelligence level” boom before everyone else sees it coming, his comments sparked speculation about the future of deep tech on social media.
What can quantum computing achieve?
Sundar Pichai described quantum computing as a fundamental shift, not just another technological upgrade. He told the BBC that Google is leading the way in quantum research, and because things like nature and the universe are fundamentally based on the principles of quantum mechanics, it can contribute to many societal benefits.
“We have the most advanced quantum computing efforts in the world…creating quantum systems, I think, will help us better simulate and understand nature and unlock many benefits for society,” he added.
The on-the-record statement from Big Tech’s top CEO, which lays out a timeline for when quantum could become commercial, comes shortly after Alphabet Inc’s Google developed an algorithm called “Quantum Echoes” on its “Willow” quantum computing chip — a system the company says can replicate similar systems and even outperform classical supercomputers.
Quantum computing is an advanced form of computing that uses quantum mechanics to solve complex problems relatively faster than conventional computers.
What are netizens saying about Sundar Pichai’s remarks?
Since the interview video went viral, several investors and netizens have been talking about the future of quant and even coming up with their own theories.
User X wrote: “This sounds exactly like the early AI advice that no one took seriously – just before valuations went vertical. When CEOs talk openly about it, the foundations are already in place.”
Another person added to the speculation, saying: “If Sundar is right and quantum is now where AI was ~2020, we’ll soon see the same crazy exponential explosion but in a completely different dimension. AI went from ‘somewhat useful’ to rewriting the world in 4-5 years. Quantum is about to do the same for encryption, drug discovery, logistics.”
A netizen also made his own prediction, stating: “My prediction: 2020s the age of AI software. 2030s the age of AI robots. 2040s rinse and repeat with Quantum.”
