Tag: OPINION

Introduction There is tremendous amount of hype about quantum computing recently. Governments, corporations, and academic institutions are pouring increasing resources into this field, recognizing its potential to address a wide array of critical scientific and societal challenges. While the technology has begun to impact specific areas, such as the design of efficient batteries for electric vehicles, precision drilling in the oil and gas industry, sophisticated financial analyses, medical research advancements, and improvements in weather prediction models, these applications remain quite narrow. Broader commercial uses hinges on the development of fault-tolerant quantum computing, a goal that still faces many challenges as...

According to a recent MIT article, IBM aims to build a 100,000 qubit quantum computer within a decade. Google is aiming even higher, aspiring to release a million qubit computer by by the end of the decade. We witness a continuous push towards larger quantum processors with increasing numbers of qubits. IBM is expected to release a 1,000-qubit processor sometime this year. Quantum computing is on the brink of revolutionizing complex problem-solving. However, the practical implementation of quantum algorithms faces significant challenges due to the error-prone nature and hardware limitations of near-term quantum devices. Focusing solely on the number of...

Advances in quantum computing promise a new era in computing leading to signifiant breakthroughs in solving many scientific challenges or tackling major societal challenges such as the climate change. No, really. However, this advancement also brings the risk of a “quantum apocalypse,” as the quantum computer’s potential to exponentially speed up the factoring of large numbers threatens to weaken various forms of modern cryptography and break public key encryption systems that secure the internet, online banking, secure messaging, military systems, and much more. Such capabilities could lead to the day ominously known as “Q-Day,” when cryptographically relevant quantum computers (CRQC)...

Self-help authors and politicians seem to agree on at least one thing: mindset matters. The shelves of bookstores worldwide are awash with motivational books by evangelical writers hoping to convert readers to their gospel of optimism. The central thesis is simple: success depends on approaching life, especially its challenges, with a positive outlook. Politicians and leaders have always appreciated the power of mindset, though less of the positive kind, as attested to by a history of propaganda that dates back to at least 500 BC. More recently, as Covid-19 spread across the globe, language in public discourse showed itself to...

While I add a similar disclaimer to all of my public content, it's particularly important in this case to emphasize that the convictions I've expressed in this article are entirely my own. I've arrived at these opinions after 30 years of corporate work, but they in no way reflect the views of PwC and are in no particular way inspired by PwC. Preamble I have to admit that I am a little surprised to find myself writing a series of articles on 'organizational bullshit.' At first glance, this is not my area of specialist expertise. But the more I have reflected...

Read Part 1: Why Part 2: How One day, sitting in the shed he called home, the journalist, Oobah Butler, had an idea: he would turn his shed into a fake restaurant and make it the top-rated eatery in London. This audacious thought wasn't random, though. Before becoming a feature writer for VICE.com, one of Butler's part-time jobs had been as a review writer. But not just any reviews – these were fake reviews on TripAdvisor paid for by establishments who wanted to improve their business ratings. As he became more entrenched in this work and watched his reviews have real-world...

How window-dressing chips away at any tangible rewards companies could reap from neurodiversity efforts. Diversity has made a dent in the public consciousness. With a long-overdue shift from an ethical buzzword into a brand-defining must-have, emerging nuances to diversity have at last begun to take their place on the front burner. In fact, neurodiversity is now so widely known that it has quickly risen to become a subject of keen interest. Google Trends drops data-backed hints about how much of a crucial role neurodiverse individuals actually play in corporate and social settings — unlike how we have come to view...

Neurodiversity is the concept that recognizes and embraces the wide range of human neurological variations. It acknowledges that individuals with diverse cognitive abilities and neurological differences, such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other conditions, bring unique strengths and perspectives to our species. Over time, neurodiversity has played a crucial role in the development and progress of the human species, contributing to our adaptability, innovation, and problem-solving abilities. Diverse Problem-Solving and Innovation The human species has thrived due to its ability to adapt to different environments and come up with innovative solutions to complex problems. Neurodiversity plays a crucial role in this...

The cybersecurity industry is constantly evolving, facing new threats and challenges every day. To stay ahead of the curve, protect sensitive information, and protect lives (in case of cyber-kinetic risks), the industry requires a diverse range of skills, perspectives, and innovative solutions capable of tackling complex and evolving threats. The cybersecurity sector has a unique opportunity to harness the distinctive talents of neurodivergent individuals. Neurodiversity, which encompasses individuals with cognitive differences such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other neurodivergent descriptions, offers a unique and untapped talent pool for the cybersecurity sector. The benefits of diversity, especially in tech spaces, are...

“Organizational bullshit” is a term coined to describe deceptive, vague, or otherwise misleading communication within an organization.  “Organizational bullshit” is not an expletive. It is a legitimate academic term and the subject of serious and growing academic research on leadership. In his 1986 essay, “On Bullshit,” which later developed into a book by the same name, Princeton philosopher, Harry G. Frankfurt, was the first to look at the phenomenon through a more analytical lens, making it something that can be identified and, therefore, addressed. Frankfurt proposed that bullshit is different from lying. Unlike a liar that intentionally subverts the truth,...

A term first coined by the Japanese government, “Society 5.0” describes "A human-centered society that balances economic advancement with the resolution of social problems by a system that highly integrates cyberspace and physical space." The fifth evolution of the society, enabled by the fifth generation of cellular networking and cyber-physical systems, imagines technology, things and humans converging to address some of the biggest societal challenges. The concept encompasses Industry 4.0, Fourth Industrial Revolution, Smart-Everything World and other buzzwords of the moment. In the society of the future the more the cyber and physical worlds are combined, the greater the benefits...

When we discuss quantum computing, we most often refer to Universal Quantum Computing, also known as Gate-Based Quantum Computing. This is the familiar model of quantum computing which uses quantum gates to perform operations on qubits in a similar way classical computers manipulate classical bits. This flavor of quantum computing is known as “universal” because, in theory, it can perform any computation that a classical computer can, but potentially much faster for certain types of problems. That’s not the only model of quantum computing, however. But let’s start from the beginning. Factorization and Classical Computers The integer factorization problem reduces an integer...

Neil Harbisson calls himself a cyborg. Without the antenna implanted in his skull, he would not be able to see colour of any kind. Born with achromatopsia, a condition of total colourblindness that affects 1 in every 30 000 people, Harbisson's physical faculties are augmented by cyber technology to grant him access to a life of greater meaning and satisfaction. As technological evolution leads to concomitant advances in medical science, we are seeing more and more examples of humans who are integrating devices and sensors into their biological makeup. For some, like those part of the growing "transhumanist" movement, this...

Since the early 2000s, the field of quantum computing has seen significant advancements, both in technological development and in commercialization efforts. The experimental demonstration of Shor's algorithm in 2001 proved to be one of the key catalyzing events, spurring increased interest and investment from both the public and private sectors.

For many end-users of today's communications technology, the cloud is a somewhat mystical concept, a digital equivalent of aether. Most think of it as a formless abstraction "up there" when, in fact, the cloud is rooted in the ground. Or the seabed. Despite rapid advances in satellite connection, almost all intercontinental data transfer that takes place every second of the day occurs via hundreds of thousands of miles of underwater cables. Reading a map of these submarine cables is like viewing a tapestry of international telecommunication. It is perhaps strange to think that the email you just sent to your colleague...