MilestoneTheory & algorithmsConfirmed
Study finds no evidence yet of exponential quantum advantage in chemistry
Aug 3, 2022
Seunghoon Lee, Garnet Chan and colleagues review the case for an exponential quantum speedup in estimating molecular ground-state energies. They find no evidence of it across chemistry so far, while noting quantum computers may still prove useful there.
Why it matters
Chemistry is often named as the first killer application. The study suggests speedups there may be smaller than exponential, not that quantum chemistry is pointless.
Seunghoon Lee · Ryan Babbush · John Preskill · Garnet Kin-Lic Chan · Caltech · Google
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