The Promise and Challenges of Quantum Computing

This brief overview of quantum computing gives an intuitive, albeit incomplete view of why it shows promise over any known classical approach to computing. The difficulty of making a qubit which allows us to protect and control quantum information will be illustrated in an overview of existing quantum technologies, including ions, superconducting qubits, spins and defects in solids. Finally, I will review a few of the problems which may benefit most from quantum computing and why many in industry are excited by the prospects.