New “Start-up” Dulwich Quantum Aims to Pop the Hype Bubble of Quantum Computing

A London-based “start-up” aims to highlight the hype surrounding quantum computing and quantum technologies. Dulwich Quantum aims squarely at the apparent hype machine surrounding quantum computing and associated technology. The founders behind Dulwich Quantum are not known, but we do know they have a sense of humor and now a website of sorts.

Quantum Computing Startup Aims to Debunk Hype

Dulwich Quantum Computing, a startup based in South London, aims to debunk misconceptions and overhype in the quantum computing industry. The company believes that the complexity of quantum computing has led to misinformation, with many posing as experts. Dulwich Quantum Computing was established to address this issue and prevent damage to the field’s reputation. The company also runs the Annual Dulwich Awards in Quantum Computing to further its mission. The startup is named after The Shed at Dulwich, a non-existent restaurant that reached the top spot on TripAdvisor, symbolizing the public’s susceptibility to hype.

The excitement around quantum computing has grown significantly in recent years, with the potential of these machines to solve problems beyond the capabilities of current supercomputers. This has led to substantial investment and an influx of new people. However, due to the complex and interdisciplinary nature of quantum computing, the number of experts in the field remains relatively small.

The company argues that while becoming a genuine quantum computing expert is challenging, posing as one is relatively easy. This has led to several parties taking advantage of the situation, including multinational corporations, quantum startups, and self-proclaimed quantum experts.

The Gap Between Experts and Non-Experts

Dulwich Quantum Computing was established out of frustration with the growing gap between what quantum computing experts know to be accurate and what non-experts confidently assert in public. The company believes that highlighting these issues can encourage more experts to speak out.

If unchecked, the company warns that the hype and misinformation surrounding quantum computing could damage the reputation of the entire field. This could potentially harm those who are making legitimate progress in the area. Furthermore, the company argues that the hype and misinformation can mislead the public, whose tax money often funds quantum computing research, and erode their trust in science and expertise.

Dulwich Quantum: The Significance of the Name

The company is named after The Shed at Dulwich, a non-existent restaurant in South London that famously reached the number one spot on TripAdvisor. The company’s CEO suggests that if hype alone could achieve such a feat, why not also in quantum computing?

The Shed at Dulwich serves as a modern-day parable illustrating the gullibility of the masses. The company believes that while quantum computing has the potential to deliver something useful, it won’t arrive tomorrow, and it won’t be a solution to climate change. Dulwich Quantum claim it will likely be far less exciting on a far longer timescale than what quantum evangelists promise.

Annual Dulwich Awards in Quantum Computing

As part of its mission to debunk the inflated expectations around quantum computing, Dulwich Quantum Computing announces its Annual Dulwich Awards in Quantum Computing each year. The company hesitates to call itself a “parody” quantum startup, as it believes this would create a misleading distinction between them and many other quantum startups.

The awards aim to highlight the absurdities and misinformation in the field of quantum computing, furthering the company’s mission to make people think critically about the information they receive. The winners of the previous two years’ awards have been officially announced.

Quick Summary

Dulwich Quantum Computing, a startup based in South London, aims to challenge the hype and misinformation surrounding the field of quantum computing. The company highlights the gap between what quantum computing experts know to be true and what non-experts publicly assert, warning that unchecked hype could damage the field’s reputation and mislead the public, whose taxes often fund quantum research.

• Dulwich Quantum Computing, a startup based in South London, aims to challenge the hype and misinformation surrounding the field of quantum computing.
• The company believes that the complexity of quantum computing has led to a gap in understanding between experts and the general public, with some parties exploiting this for their gain.
• Concerns are raised about multinational corporations and startups capitalizing on the hype, and individuals posing as experts to build their following.
• Dulwich Quantum Computing warns that unchecked hype could damage the reputation of the field and mislead the public, whose taxes often fund quantum research.
• The company is named after The Shed at Dulwich, a non-existent restaurant that reached the top spot on TripAdvisor, symbolizing people’s susceptibility to hype.
• The startup also runs the Annual Dulwich Awards in Quantum Computing to highlight inflated expectations in the field.
• The company emphasizes that quantum computing has potential but is not an immediate solution to global issues like climate change. It will likely develop over a longer timescale than often suggested.

What do we think?

Oversight is excellent, and there is a lot of fluff out there. For example, Chris Ferrie wrote a book highlighting issues with the overuse of Quantum in just about everything. But aside from the overuse of the word ‘quantum’, there is still the issue that few use cases exist. However, those use cases are potentially growing, and technology is advancing. But what we applaud is calling out potential generic benefits without any justification. Quantum technologies could be transformative, but that doesn’t mean we are even close or will ever even get there!

Companies from IBM to Google to Amazon are investing in Quantum Technologies. The fundamentals are sound, but let’s not underestimate the journey to getting real, quantifiable benefits from quantum technology. But let’s also not kill a nascent field built on solid fundamentals that could transform various industries. Be realistic about where we are. We currently have around 1,000 physical Qubits to play with, which is far from breaking RSA 2048 or working like a General Purpose Quantum Computer. Companies can explore Hybrid Workflows, and that will and should continue. The trajectory is excellent, but we should always be cautious about overpromising and underdelivering.