Category Archives: Quantum

November’s Lectures, 2025

Posted on December 21, 2025 by Gil Kalai

Happy Chanukah, everybody! There is a lot of academic activity around, and the ceasefire in Gaza has brought some relief and hope. Let me tell you about the (unusually high number of) lectures I attended in November 2025, in reverse … Continue reading →

Posted in AI, Combinatorics, Computer Science and Optimization, Geometry, Physics, Quantum, Updates | 11 Comments

A Visit to the Israeli Quantum Computing Center (IQCC)

Posted on November 13, 2025 by Gil Kalai

Two weeks ago I was invited together with my colleague Shay Mozes to visit the Israeli Quantum Computing Center located near the Tel Aviv University quite close to my home. That morning my wife told me not to be disappointed … Continue reading →

Posted in Quantum | Tagged IQCC, Quantum computers | 16 Comments

Computational Complexity and Explanations in Physics

Posted on November 3, 2025 by Gil Kalai

The title of this post is taken from a recent interesting lecture (judging from the slides) by Scott Aaronson at Columbia University. The lecture explored a wide range of topics at the intersection of physics, computation, and philosophy. In this … Continue reading →

Posted in Computer Science and Optimization, Physics, Quantum | Tagged Computational complexity, Craig Gidney, David Deutsch, Many worlds interpretation, Scott Aaronson | 11 Comments

Some Questions from Recent Quantum Events

Posted on July 30, 2025 by Gil Kalai

Over the past few years, I have given several lectures about quantum computation, presenting my argument for why quantum computing—and even significant early milestones toward it—are fundamentally impossible. Recently, I participated in a debate with Matthias Christandl on the possibility … Continue reading →

Posted in Computer Science and Optimization, Controversies and debates, Physics, Quantum | Tagged Matthias Christandl, Quantum computation, Ray Laflamme | 6 Comments

Happy Birthday Saharon Shelah and Yuri Gurevich!

Posted on July 7, 2025 by Gil Kalai

Let me briefly report on two birthday conferences for long-time friends and colleagues Saharon Shelah and Yuri Gurevich. Yuri fest took place in Munich and on Zoom between June 20–22 2025 and Shelah’s birthday conference will be held in Vienna … Continue reading →

Posted in Combinatorics, Computer Science and Optimization, Happy birthday, Logic and set theory, People, Quantum, Updates | Tagged Ronald de Wolf, Saharon Shelah, Yuri Gurevich | Leave a comment

Ethereum Foundation Talk and Conversation: A Critical View on Quantum Computing & A geometry day honoring Micha Sharir

Posted on June 3, 2025 by Gil Kalai

Ethereum Foundation talk, today This afternoon (Tuesday, June 3, 2025) at 17:00 Israel time I give a zoom lecture on A Critical View on Quantum Computing. The lecture is hosted by the Ethereum Foundation and the 90 minute events will … Continue reading →

Posted in Combinatorics, Computer Science and Optimization, Geometry, Quantum, Sport | Tagged cryptography, Ethereum Foundation, MIcha Sharir, Quantum computers | Leave a comment

Quantum Duel in Prague

Posted on May 20, 2025 by Gil Kalai

Later this evening on 18:00 Prague time there will be a debate between Matthias Christandl and me, about the possibility of quantum computation. The debate will be live-streamed on YouTube. The beautiful poster was designed by Helena Gráfová. Click here … Continue reading →

Posted in Computer Science and Optimization, Controversies and debates, Quantum | Tagged Matthias Christandl, Quantum computation | 5 Comments

Quantum Computing Skepticism, Part 2: My View and Responses to Skeptical Claims—Featuring John Preskill, Scott Aaronson, Dave Bacon, Aram Harrow, and Boaz Barak

Posted on February 26, 2025 by Gil Kalai

In a previous post I presented the skeptical views toward quantum computing of Robert Alicki, Michel Dyakonov, Leonid Levin, Oded Goldreich, Liam McGuinness, Moshe Vardi and a few others. As I mentioned there, I am quite interested in understanding the … Continue reading →

Posted in Computer Science and Optimization, Controversies and debates, Physics, Quantum | Tagged Aram Harrow, Boaz Barak, Dave Bacon, John Preskill, Quantum computers, Robert Alicki, Scott Aaronson | 16 Comments

Majorana Zero Modes and Topological Qubits

Posted on February 21, 2025 by Gil Kalai

This post contains the first item, devoted to Majorana zero modes, from an ambitious planned post on some quantum physics mysteries, related to quantum information and computation. (Some items are also related to noise sensitivity and associated Fourier analysis.)   Majorana … Continue reading →

Posted in Computer Science and Optimization, Controversies and debates, Physics, Quantum | Tagged Majorana zero modes, quantum-computing, Topological quantum computing | 18 Comments

Robert Alicki, Michel Dyakonov, Leonid Levin, Oded Goldreich, and Others – A Summary of Some Skeptical Views On Quantum Computing.

Posted on February 17, 2025 by Gil Kalai

In this post, I provide links, references, and a brief discussion of the skeptical views regarding quantum computing held by Robert Alicki, Michel Dyakonov, Leonid Levin, Oded Goldreich, and a few others. In the next post I will briefly describe … Continue reading →

Posted in Computer Science and Optimization, Controversies and debates, Physics, Quantum | Tagged Leonid Levin, Liam McGuinness, Michel Dyakonov, Moshe Vardi, Oded Goldreich, Quantum computers, Robert Alicki | 5 Comments