Understanding Quantum Computing
Understanding the Complex: What can a quantum computer actually do that a classical one can't — and why is the road there so much harder than headlines suggest? 11 lessons, ~150 minutes, free.
Understanding Quantum Computing
All 11 lessons in order.
What's This Actually About?
Hook: the day Google claimed quantum supremacy and IBM rebutted it the same afternoon — and the question this course answers.
Why Should I Care?
Three reasons quantum computing matters beyond physics labs: cryptography, data security, scientific research.
The Basics You Need
Prerequisites: classical bits, qubits, superposition, entanglement — and the RSA anchor that runs through Lessons 4–6.
Qubits and Superposition — What's Actually Happening
What superposition actually means — and the most common misconception to unlearn. Anchor: RSA and the factoring problem.
Quantum Gates, Shor's Algorithm, and RSA
Quantum gates, circuits, Shor's algorithm as a concept. Why factoring is encryption's Achilles heel.
Error Correction — The Real Bottleneck
Decoherence, error correction, and the real bottleneck. NIST post-quantum standards 2024. 'Harvest Now, Decrypt Later.'
Who's Doing This? Why? Who's Paying?
The people: Preskill, Aaronson, Neven, Gambetta, Shor. IBM, Google, PsiQuantum, IQM, Origin Quantum. Global funding landscape. As of May 2026.
What's Contested? What Don't We Know?
Three live controversies: Was Google 2019 real supremacy? When does fault-tolerant QC arrive? How urgent is the crypto transition?
What's Next?
Five milestones, three timelines — tools for tracking the field.
What If...?
Calibrated speculation, roughly 50/50 — preceded by 30 years of 'almost there' to calibrate expectations.
What Do You Take Away?
Six core ideas. Reading list. Cross-links to LLM and AGI courses. Why you shouldn't trust us blindly.