In a fake CNN news article titled “Elon Musk Steps Back From tesla quantum computer And SpaceX Jumps on Quantum AI Financial Tech”, scammers are using clickbait to lure people to a website that tries to sell them a so-called ‘quantum trading app’. But what is a quantum computer?

What Elon Musk is looking at with his quantum supercomputer is not just another way to speed up current applications, but to enable new ones. He’s betting that the convergence of quantum computing and artificial intelligence will provide accelerated solutions to some of humanity’s most pressing challenges, from climate modeling and energy optimization to drug discovery and material design.

The Quantum Leap: Tesla’s Quantum Computing Journey

One of the most intriguing uses for a quantum computer is its ability to factor large numbers more quickly than traditional computers. This opens up new algorithms for solving problems that are too computationally expensive to solve on a conventional computer. This is important for many artificial intelligence (AI) systems, including machine learning.

The quantum computer can also be used to solve complex mathematical problems faster, which could be a huge benefit for cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. The security of these currencies is based on the fact that these math problems are difficult to solve. If someone invented a computer that could do them easily, that would be a game-changer for the security of these currencies.

Other potential applications for the quantum computer include finding alternatives to the scarce materials used in electric vehicle batteries and motors. Companies such as Robert Bosch are partnering with IBM to use quantum computing to search for alternatives to cobalt, lanthanum and other rare earth metals that are hard to find and require environmentally damaging extraction processes. Fashion designers such as Stella McCartney are experimenting with mycelium leather, an alternative to animal hides made from the roots of mushrooms.