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Trump signs legislation to boost quantum computing research with $1.2 billion
President Donald Trump on Friday signed legislation ramping up quantum computing research and development.
The National Quantum Initiative Act (H.R. 6227) authorizes $1.2 billion over five years for federal activities aimed at boosting investment in quantum information science, or QIS, and supporting a quantum-smart workforce.
The law also establishes a National Quantum Coordination Office, calls for the development of a five-year strategic plan and establishes an advisory committee to advise the White House on issues relating to quantum computing.
"This next great technological revolution has far-reaching implications for job creation, economic growth and national security," Michael Kratsios, deputy assistant to the president for technology policy, said in a White House statement. "We look forward to building upon efforts to support the quantum-smart workforce of the future and engage with government, academic and private-sector leaders to advance QIS."
Today's White House signing came after the bill was approved by unanimous consent in the Senate and by a vote of 348-11 vote in the House.
(Score: 5, Interesting) by bzipitidoo on Wednesday December 26 2018, @03:44PM (2 children)
I have yet to hear of any practical quantum computing. Shor's algorithm for factoring large numbers has still not been implemented at a useful scale. There's a lot of hype, and D-Wave is typical of the of commercial variety of hype. They wildly exaggerate, just outright lie, about the capabilities of their products, and who can tell how much of what they say is smoke? They certainly can't be trusted to tell it straight. But there's been enough noise about quantum computing that now, the government has jumped aboard in a big way. I have to wonder how much of this is actually an excuse to funnel lots of money to corrupt cronies who will fake only as much quantum computing as they must to cover everyone's asses.
It's been the same thing with facial recognition. Law enforcement in particular has been trembling and panting with indecent eagerness to install cameras everywhere. They want the technology to match faces on the street with their database of over a million mug shots, want it to work with near 100% accuracy, and they don't want to hear that such high accuracy and scaling up are not trivial problems. Yes, facial recognition has come a long ways in the past decade, but it is still not up to that level of performance. Doesn't stop unscrupulous vendors from hoking up some facial recognition crap and selling it to law enforcement agencies made gullible by their too eager desire to believe the tech they want is possible and available.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by takyon on Wednesday December 26 2018, @04:09PM (1 child)
If Shor's algorithm can work, you could consider this $1.2 billion of NSA funding. They need the machines before they can crack the codes.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 27 2018, @06:20AM
Classified Programs!
This would be an excellent way to funnel money to fiends, while keeping everyone else ignorant of what its really capable of... Gee a lot of us still aren't really sure if the govt has aliens at area51.