An Nvidia Co-Founder’s Latest Bet: Making ‘Quantum Valley’ in New York

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses how a co-founder of Nvidia, Curtis Priem, is donating over $75 million to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) to establish a quantum computing system on the university campus, with the goal of making the Hudson Valley region a hub for quantum computing research in the United States.

🙋 Q&A

[01] Nvidia Co-Founder's Donation to RPI

1. What is the purpose of Priem's donation to RPI?

• Priem's goal is to establish the Hudson Valley region as an epicenter of quantum computing research in the country, and to create a critical mass of talent that will lead to spinoff businesses.

2. What is the key feature of the quantum computing system that RPI will receive?

• RPI will install an IBM Quantum System One device with 127 qubits, which will be the first such device on a university campus anywhere in the world.

3. How will the quantum computing system be utilized at RPI?

• RPI will spend $15 million a year to rent the computer, which will be upgraded to a more advanced system in several years. The system will be integrated into the curriculum, allowing students and researchers to test their code without having to wait hours or days for results.

4. What is Priem's view on the potential of the Hudson Valley region compared to Silicon Valley?

• Priem believes that the Hudson Valley has more innovative work taking place compared to Silicon Valley, which he sees as being dominated by social media companies. He points to the Albany NanoTech Complex as an example of the region's potential for chip technology development.

[02] Quantum Computing's Potential and Challenges

1. What are the key differences between classical and quantum computers?

• Classical computers use binary digits (bits) that can be either 0 or 1, while quantum computers use quantum bits (qubits) that can represent a complex mix of 0 and 1.

2. What are some potential applications of quantum computers?

• Quantum computers could be useful in tackling questions in natural materials and chemistry, and even breaking the public-key cryptography used to secure the internet.

3. What are the challenges in developing and operating quantum computers?

• Quantum computers are still relatively rare because the technology is young. Qubits need to be kept at extremely cold temperatures, around 0.015 degrees Kelvin, to maintain their quantum state.

[03] The Potential Impact on the Hudson Valley Region

1. What is the current state of the Hudson Valley region's economy?

• The region's largest employers are hospitals and state government, and the city of Troy's population has declined from its peak in the early 20th century, when it was a major manufacturing center.

2. What are the potential benefits of the quantum computing system at RPI for the region?

• Officials hope that the presence of the quantum computer will add "another layering of justification" to the region's push to become the headquarters for the National Semiconductor Technology Center, which was funded by the 2022 Chips Act.

3. What are the challenges in transforming the region through a single investment like the quantum computing system?

• Experts note that the likelihood of significant spillover effects and the creation of new businesses depends on other factors, such as natural resources and the existing labor force, in addition to the presence of the quantum computer.