The Superposition Guy's Podcast

Yuval Boger interviews mathematician Gil Kalai about his long-standing skepticism regarding scalable quantum computing. Kalai explains two main arguments behind his theory: correlated noise that may defeat quantum error correction and complexity-based limits on NISQ devices achieving quantum supremacy. They discuss experimental claims such as Google’s 2019 result, potential tests of Kalai’s conjectures, and the implications for the future of quantum research. The conversation also explores how Kalai hopes the community will evaluate bold claims and what scientific insights could emerge regardless of the outcome.

Yuval Boger interviews Tom Darras, CEO and co-founder of Welinq. They discuss how quantum networking uses shared entanglement to interconnect quantum processors, enabling modular scale-out clusters and quantum-safe connectivity between data centers. Tom explains the technical building blocks—qubit-photon interfaces, optical networks, entangled photon sources, and especially quantum memories—as well as the performance metrics that matter most, like entanglement generation rate, fidelity, and memory lifetime. They also cover Welinq’s Arachne compiler for distributing circuits across multiple QPUs, why networking is becoming a consensus scaling strategy across modalities, and how “quantum-augmented data centers” are starting to become real initiatives.

Yuval Boger interviews Bob Sorensen of Hyperion Research about the growing convergence of quantum computing and high-performance computing. They outline a problem-first adoption playbook for HPC centers: identify bottlenecks, benchmark classical options and costs, then evaluate quantum as an accelerator with clear ROI and procurement targets. Sorensen weighs cloud versus on‑prem tradeoffs, argues quantum hardware needs short lifecycles with upgrade paths, and explains why HPC managers mainly worry about seamless integration. They close with practical definitions of quantum advantage (speed, capability, and power), real-world case studies, and why error-correction-driven architecture is increasingly shaping modality decisions.

Yuval Boger interviews Christian Weedbrook, founder and CEO of Xanadu. They discuss Xanadu’s photonic approach to gate-based quantum computing, the advantages of room-temperature operation, and the company’s plan to scale through optical networking. Christian also describes PennyLane, photonic error correction, customer engagements, and Xanadu’s target of building a 500-logical-qubit system by 2029–2030. The conversation also touches on partnerships, manufacturing, likely early applications in chemistry and materials, and much more.

Yuval Boger interviews computer science professor known for his work on quantum computing theory. They explore the current state of quantum hardware, the narrowing case for quantum skepticism, and the realistic path toward fault-tolerant, useful quantum machines. The conversation also covers quantum algorithms, cryptography risks, ethics, hype in commercialization, and advice for the next generation of quantum researchers.