Opinion: The simplest quantum computer

Abstract

Instead of writing a review article on the state of the field, I'm going to instead write a retrospective from the year 2040. I'll tell you how this whole "quantum computing thing" turned out.

I wrote this in between jobs in March 2024 so it is quite out-of-date already. This perspective imagines a possible future, is intentionally opinionated, and is likely mostly wrong. Further caveats inside