9 Impact of Quantum Computing

It is, of course, impossible to predict the long-term impact of quantum computing with any accuracy. If we look back at the birth of the modern computer in the 1950s, nobody could have predicted how much computers would change society and how dependent we would become on them. There are well-known quotes from computer pioneers proclaiming that the world would only need a handful of computers and that nobody would ever need a computer in their home. These quotes are out of context. The authors were generally referring to specific types of computers, but the impression they give, though exaggerated, is true. Initially computers were massive, had to be in air-conditioned rooms, and were not very reliable. Today, I have a laptop, a smartphone, and a tablet. All three are far more powerful than the first computers. I think that even visionaries like Alan Turing would be amazed at the extent to which computers have thoroughly permeated all levels of society. Turing did discuss chess playing and artificial intelligence, but nobody predicted that the rise of e-commerce and social media would come to dominate so much of our lives.