The MIT Technology Review analyzes the promise and pitfalls of powerful quantum computers
Every year, the MIT Technology Review presents its list of 10 breakthrough technologies. What is a "breakthrough technology"? They define it as "a technology, or perhaps even a collection of technologies, that will have a profound effect on our lives."
For the 2018 list, the Review sees profound potential in quantum computers. Exactly what their potential impact promises for various fields is, at this early stage, unclear. The Review, however, highlights one specific, exciting prospect: precisely designed molecules.
In this area, Professor Alán Aspuru-Guzik has already made significant contributions.
"Understanding molecules in exact detail will allow chemists to design more effective drugs and better materials for generating and distributing energy," according to the magazine. To this end, Aspuru-Guzik's latest work debuts a "self-driving laboratory," where artificial intelligence meets robotic platforms to enable more rapid scientific discovery.
Learn more about Alán's work and browse MIT's nine additional breakthrough technologies:
