Jarrod McClean, Google

As quantum technology rapidly advances, a premier application of interest is the simulation of physical, chemical, and material systems to improve the pathway towards novel design. However, even before large, fault-tolerant devices are available, the study of quantum computer science can shape our perspective on the natural world. In this talk, we will first review some of the techniques that make quantum computers especially promising for the simulation of chemical and material systems. From there, we explore what we have learned about the limits of even quantum computing methods, and their relationship with collecting data from nature. In particular, we’ll cover recent results on the ways in which data can elevate classical learning models beyond conventional classical computation when samples from a quantum computer are provided. We’ll use this to shape an outlook for the future relationship between quantum computing, chemistry, and materials science.