There are a half-dozen or more ways to look at the hardware, depending on your perspective. The neutral atom was a high-potential approach within the hardware. We backed the project. [Thompson’s] Logiqal is a company.
What will happen if I’m right?
I’m a venture investor, and we believe in convexity—taking risks on things that most likely won’t work, but if they do work could be 500x in value.
If quantum computers are successful, it’s an innovation that will change the world. Unlocking these computing engines and thinking engines can transform the way we look at the future, whether it’s in the field of materials sciences, pharmaceutical innovation, logistics or financial markets.
It is possible to imagine the possibility of creating pharmaceutical innovations that would extend human life for 20-30 years. It is possible to see improvements in the material sciences, where new products could be invented. We could get to Mars with it! Quantum computing can unlock this.
Your description of quantum computing is similar to the way many AI fans describe artificial general intelligence.
Quantum is in many ways where AI was when it came to 2015 – a number of very large research and science project and now starting to see practical applications, rather than pure research.
You said that being a quantum specialist is hard to fake. My hypothesis is that being an AI specialist may not be as difficult to fake. How do you choose who to back and why?
In AI, there are already so many startups that have been created and are still being born that if you extrapolate the data out 5, 10 years from now, they will lack a real moat that is not based on brand or speed. The moats of brand and speed rarely suffice to create a company that will last a lifetime.
Here’s an example. BrightAI produces stickers about this size. [she makes a circle with her fist]. This company places a sticker at every pole of telecommunications, every air conditioning system and every system for water lines, then watches it over a long period, say 5, 10, 15, or 20 years. [and flags potential issues]. It’s an impressive moat. It’s not like you are ripping off all the stickers.
Most of the AI value accrues to incumbents. Penny is my cofounder and she sits on Microsoft’s board. If you think about it, Microsoft and Google—Google has 3 billion users. Microsoft has over a billion customers. It is possible for Microsoft to launch an OK product, but it does not have the power of pricing or distribution. We think of the world in which elephants can dance. Be a human being, not an ant.
What is AI and how do you use it?
AI is used for everything. AI can be used in everything. In every one of my questions, I’ve probably used it at least 25 times.
What’s the alternative to Google?
Everything. Everything. Deep research, sourcing. Today, I looked up which jobs were declining the fastest around the globe. In truth, I wouldn’t say that it happens a dozen of times every day. This happens dozens of time a day.
This edition includes the Model Behavior newsletter. Read previous newsletters here.
