Quantum Supremacy: How the Quantum Computer Revolution Will Change Everything

Michio Kaku

May 2023 · Sold by Vintage

About this ebook

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • An exhilarating tour of humanity's next great technological achievement—quantum computing—which may supercharge artificial intelligence, solve some of humanity's biggest problems, like global warming, world hunger, and incurable disease, and eventually illuminate the deepest mysteries of science, by the bestselling author of The God Equation. • “Expertly describes and rectifies common misconceptions about quantum computing." —Science

"[Kaku's] lucid prose and thought process make abundant sense of this technological turning point.” —The New York Times Book Review

The runaway success of the microchip may finally be reaching its end. As shrinking transistors approach the size of atoms, the phenomenal growth of computational power inevitably collapses. But this change heralds the birth of a revolutionary new type of computer, one that calculates on atoms themselves.

Quantum computers promise unprecedented gains in computing power, enabling advancements that could overturn every aspect of our daily lives. While the media has mainly focused on their startling potential to crack any known encryption method, the race is already on to exploit their incredible power to revolutionize industry. Automotive makers, medical researchers, and consulting firms are all betting on quantum computing to design more efficient vehicles, create life-saving new drugs, and streamline businesses. But this is only the beginning. Quantum computing could be used to decode the complex chemical processes needed to produce cheap fertilizers and unleash a second Green Revolution; create a super battery that will enable the Solar Age; or design nuclear fusion reactors to generate clean, safe, renewable energy. It may even unravel the fiendishly difficult protein folding that lies at the heart of as-yet-incurable diseases like Alzheimer’s, ALS, and Parkinson’s. Already, quantum computers are being put to work to help solve the greatest mystery in science—the origin of the universe.

There is no single problem humanity faces that might not be addressed by quantum computers. With his signature clarity and enthusiasm, Dr. Michio Kaku, who has spent his entire professional life working on the quantum theory, tells the thrilling story of this exciting scientific frontier and the race to claim humanity’s future.

Ratings and reviews

Quantum computing promises a revolution in computing power. In the not-so-distant future, it could change our daily lives in unimaginable ways, and solve major challenges like climate change, the global food crisis, and deadly diseases. Michio Kaku is a brilliant and enthusiastic science communicator. In an easy-to-read style, this book paints an exciting and optimistic view of what the future could hold. Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Kaku's field of choice is a speculative toy model with no predictive power. I assume he knows that humans will use this quantum computing power for anything more than posting selfies and playing touchscreen games. Go play with your Strings, Michio.

About the author

MICHIO KAKU is a professor of physics at the City University of New York, cofounder of string field theory, and the author of several widely acclaimed science books, including Hyperspace, Beyond Einstein, Physics of the Impossible, and Physics of the Future. He is the science correspondent for CBS’s This Morning and host of the radio programs Science Fantastic and Explorations in Science.