Who gets to use a quantum computer? FQxI sets a challenge at the Moth Hack

[Weary Renegade]

FQxI, the Foundational Questions Institute, has set a challenge at the Moth Hack, a hybrid hackathon run by Moth, a London quantum computing company founded by Harry Kumar. The in person part took place on 26 and 27 September at a pop up on D'Arblay Street in Soho, and the virtual hackathon carried on over Discord until 2 October. Winners are due to be announced on 5 October. The whole event is built around Moth's Atlas platform

The article describes Atlas as "a platform that opens quantum computing up to artists, musicians, filmmakers and game designers." Kumar says you can "run a real job on a quantum computer without any coding experience, without any quantum experience." It does not go into which hardware the jobs run on, which is the part I would most like to know. Even so, the pitch is clear: take quantum out of the lab and hand it to creative people

FQxI's challenge asked entrants to create an educational app or piece of content that teaches a general audience about quantum computing or quantum mechanics, using at least one of Moth's Atlas Engines. Anyone could enter, solo or in a team, with no quantum experience needed, and the prize is a £150 voucher. Kumar's advice to entrants was to "make, break, use, abuse the platform and see what you can make with a quantum computer"

The headline question is the interesting bit. Kumar argues that "it would be a great shame if quantum computers were created and only ever used by governments and corporations." Early computers followed a similar path, locked away in universities and big firms until hobbyists finally got their hands on them. Cloud access from IBM, Amazon and others has opened the door a little, but mostly to people who can already write code

I like the idea of artists and game designers poking at real quantum hardware, even if the results are more playful than useful. Moth has form here, with a quantum Backrooms game mentioned in the article's further reading from earlier in the summer. A £150 voucher is not going to draw in huge crowds, but the prize hardly seems to be the point. Getting people to try it is

Should quantum computers be opened up to artists and the public now, or is it a gimmick while the machines are still so limited? And what would you make with one if you had the chance?

FQxI News: Who gets to use a quantum computer? FQxI sets a challenge at the Moth Hackqspace.fqxi.org