Last month, IBM announced a 127-qubit quantum processor. While it is still an incredibly infant computer with near-zero practical applications, the fact that it exists is a testament to human achievement and a signal that more and more powerful computers are to come. Quantum computing is shaping up to be the next stage of computer development. However, it is not currently obvious that the U.S. will dominate this next stage. As in many other fields, China is nipping at our heels. If it triumphs, the future could look very different — and much worse.
To understand the state of play, it is first necessary to understand what quantum computers are.
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