Quantum Computing: What, When, Where, How

This episode is all about quantum computing — explaining what it is, how it works, what’s hype vs. reality, and how to prepare for it/ what builders should do.

Specifically, we cover:

• What quantum computing is and isn’t, and what people are really talking about when they worry about a quantum computer that can break classic computing-based cryptography systems — a cryptographically relevant post-quantum computer.
• When is it happening/ what are the “timelines” for quantum computing becoming a reality — how many years away are we? — and when are the U.S. government’s deadlines/ NIST standards for post-quantum cryptography?
• How will different types of cryptography be affected, or not? What are different approaches and tradeoffs?
• Where does quantum computing and post-quantum crypto apply to blockchains — which are not only more easily upgradable, but also by and large rely on signatures, not encryption, so may be more quantum-resistant in many ways (and not in others).

As always, we tease apart the signal vs. the noise in recent “science-by-press release” corporate quantum-computing milestone announcements.

We also help answer questions on when do builders need to plan their switch to a post-quantum crypto world, what pitfalls to avoid there (hint: bugs! software upgrades!).

Finally, we briefly cover different approaches to post-quantum crypto; and also dig deeper on zero-knowledge/ succinct-proof systems and how they relate to post-quantum crypto.

Our expert guests, in conversation with Sonal Chokshi (@smc90), are:

• Dan Boneh (@danboneh), Stanford University professor and applied cryptography expert and pioneer; also Senior Research Advisor to a16z crypto;
• Justin Thaler (@succinctJT), research partner at a16z, professor at Georgetown, and longtime expert and pioneer in interactive and ZK proof systems.

SEE ALSO: Post-quantum blockchains by Valeria Nikolaenko

more resources + papers on topics mentioned:

• A Graduate Course in Applied Cryptography by Dan Boneh and Victor Shoup [see also]
• Proofs, Arguments, and Zero-Knowledge by Justin Thaler
• LatticeFold+: Faster, Simpler, Shorter Lattice-Based Folding for Succinct Proof Systems by Dan Boneh and Binyi Chen
• Neo: Lattice-based folding scheme for CCS over small fields and pay-per-bit commitments by Wilson Nguyen and Srinath Setty
• “Q-Day Clock” from Project Eleven — public dashboard to visually track timeline for quantum computing to reach cryptographically relevant capabilities and break widely used encryption algorithms
• on hard forks for quantum emergencies
• Quantum analysis of AES, Kyungbae Jang, Anubhab Baksi, Hyunji Kim, Gyeongju Song, Hwajeong Seo, Anupam Chattopadhyay
• The Google Willow Thing by Scott Aaronson
• FAQs on Microsoft’s topological qubit thing by Scott Aaronson
• Microsoft’s claim of a topological qubit faces tough questions, American Physical Society

As a reminder, none of this is investment, business, legal, or tax advice; please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information including a link to our investments.

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