Podcast with Mathematician Gil Kalai from Reichman University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Mathematician Gil Kalai has long been skeptical of scalable quantum computing, citing two primary concerns: correlated noise that could thwart quantum error correction and complexity-based limits on NISQ devices achieving quantum supremacy. In a recent podcast, Kalai elaborated on these arguments, discussing experimental claims such as Google's 2019 result, which he believes may not be as conclusive as claimed. Kalai's conjectures can be tested through specific experiments, potentially validating or disproving his theory. The implications of Kalai's ideas are significant, as they suggest that quantum computing may not be as imminent a threat to classical cryptography as previously thought¹. However, this does not diminish the need for quantum-resistant cryptography, particularly in light of recent advancements from Google, which underscore the importance of migrating to post-quantum cryptography. So what matters to practitioners is that the timeline for cryptographic migration may be shorter than expected, making proactive planning for post-quantum cryptography a pressing concern.