What’s Next in Quantum Computing
EECS Colloquium
Tuesday, February 21, 2023
310 Sutardja Dai Hall (Banatao Auditorium)
4:00 – 5:00 pm
Dario Gil, Ph.D.
IBM Senior Vice President and Director of Research
Abstract
The history of computing has been defined by advances enabling ever more sophisticated calculations. These advances share the same model of computation, based on binary bits representing the intersection of information and mathematics. We have constantly pushed the boundaries of this paradigm to enable more sophisticated calculations. Now for the first time, we’re seeing a branching of computing paradigms with the emergence of quantum computing combining physics and information. It has the potential to solve problems out of reach for even the most powerful supercomputers. The intersection of both models, classical and quantum computation, will bring unprecedented computing power and efficiency. In this colloquium, we will discuss this future of computing, its implications, and how we could fulfill it. We will see what it takes to build and program superconducting quantum computers to realize their first practical benefits, and our vision for scaling and simplifying the orchestration of classical and quantum resources so that software evolves from seamlessly integrating classical and quantum processors to making the intricacies of the technologies, their management, and location invisible to developers.
Biography
Dr. Darío Gil is IBM Senior Vice President and Director of Research. Dr. Gil leads the technology roadmap and the technical community of IBM, directing innovation strategies in areas including hybrid cloud, AI, semiconductors, quantum computing, and exploratory science. He is responsible for IBM Research, one of the world’s largest and most influential corporate research labs, with over 3,000 researchers. He is the 12th Director in its 76-year history. He is also responsible for IBM’s intellectual property strategy and business. Dr. Gil is a globally recognized leader in the quantum computing industry. Under his leadership, IBM was the first company in the world to build programmable quantum computers and make them universally available through the cloud. An advocate of collaborative research models, Dr. Gil co-chairs the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab, which advances fundamental AI research to the broad benefit of industry and society. He also co-chairs the COVID-19 High-Performance Computing Consortium, which provides access to the world’s most powerful high-performance computing resources in support of COVID-19 research. Dr. Gil is a member of the National Science Board (NSB), the governing body of the National Science Foundation (NSF). He also serves on the President’s Research Council of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR), MIT School of Engineering Dean’s Advisory Council, and Aspen Global Cybersecurity Group. Dr. Gil is on the boards of the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), New York Academy of Sciences, New York Hall of Science, and Research!America. Dr. Gil received his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT.