Live data from Hacker News

Multiple nations enact mysterious export controls on quantum computers

newscientist.com

1–9 of 9 posts

Re: Multiple nations enact mysterious export controls on quantum computers

#7
post #4

Sounds very much like someone did some theoretical work that said at 34 qubits you can do something interesting, and then other nations started copying the restriction while trying to figure out the why...

Or maybe the other way around. Maybe that to do something interesting, it would take at least 34 qubits.

Re: Multiple nations enact mysterious export controls on quantum computers

#8
Because reliable quantum computers with a large number of qbits can, in theory, break traditional encryption schemes relatively easily (once you have the tech) and a lot of our society, economy, national security, and privacy relies on traditional encryption schemes.

Someone in charge looks at the potential harm a thing can do by imagining themselves in a sociopath's shoes and gets justifiably scared. Dan Brown or Tom Clancy gets to sell another book, etc.