The Transistor Age of Quantum Computing

Quantum computing is capturing the fascination and the imagination of the technology world. It's built upon the new and unfamiliar field of quantum physics -- where principles such as superposition and entanglement offer the intrigue of unlocking entirely new opportunities. The world's formerly unsolvable problems of logistics optimization, drug discovery, cybersecurity, and material design could now have a tool that potentially cracks those codes. Futuristic opportunities like solving climate change or operating in the space economy eagerly await on the horizon. Yet for all of the promise that quantum computing holds and all of the attention it's gained from the world's greatest scientists, it's still taking a frustratingly-long time to move beyond the R&D stage. Cloud service providers like Amazon and Microsoft have functional quantum computers that can selectively used in certain capacities. But a commercially-useful, error-corrected quantum computer still out of reach for the world's business leaders to harness. We're still a long way from finding Richard Feynman's Killer App. So what should investors do about this intriguing yet commercially-frustrating quantum opportunity? Are recently-public pure plays in the space like IonQ about to make a quantum leap with upcoming breakthroughs? Are deep-pocketed tech companies like Alphabet going to completely rewrite the semiconductor supply chain? Or will quantum computing still remain in the "too hard" pile -- fraught with technical risks, uncertainties, and no generally-agreed-upon commercial path forward? To help us answer those questions, we’ve brought in an expert. Tiernan Ray is one of the technology industry’s best reporters. He's covered the tech landscape for more than two decades – from the early days of the internet and the dotcom boom to the rise of cloud computing and artificial intelligence. Tiernan puts tech progress through a much-needed objective lens, helping investors separate hype from true innovation. He offers daily insights in his Technology Letter publication: www.thetechnologyletter.com. In an exclusive interview with 7investing founder and CEO Simon Erickson, Tiernan describes where quantum computing stands and where it offers the greatest promise. He explains why controlled, multi-variable problems using AI are where quantum could be the most commercially valuable, and how companies will find multiple ways to support and profit from the bigger-picture movement. The two discuss the different technical approaches to quantum computing and the publicly-traded companies who are harnessing them. Tiernan also explains why we're in the "the transistor age of quantum computing" and a few recent developments we should be keeping a closer eye on. In the final section, Tiernan shares a few other technology trends he's excited about -- such as why silicon carbide is such an important material for the semiconductor industry and why high-performance computing still offer a long runway for chipmakers like AMD and NVIDIA. Publicly-traded companies mentioned in this interview include Air Liquide, Alphabet, Amazon, AMD, ASML, BMW, Daimler, Form Factor, General Electric, Honeywell, Howard Huges, IBM, Intel, IonQ, Microsoft, NVIDIA, On Semiconductor, Rigetti, Tesla, Texas Instruments, and Wolfspeed. 7investing’s advisors and/or guests may have positions in the companies that are mentioned.