Dulwich Quantum origin story
A spectre is haunting science – the spectre of quantum hype and quantum bullshit.
— CEO of Dulwich Quantum
Mission of Dulwich Quantum
Dulwich Quantum Computing is a quantum computing startup based in Dulwich Village in South London (at least that’s what we claim). Our mission is to
- call out bullshit,
- pour cold water on hype,
- and highlight the absurd in quantum industry and academia.
In the spirit of the Ig Nobel Prize, we try to “first make people laugh, and then make them think”.
Why do we need Dulwich Quantum?
Currently there is a lot of excitement around the possibility that quantum computers might one day solve problems that we can’t even dream of solving on our current supercomputers. This has attracted significant investment and lots of new people to the field. However, due to its complex and interdisciplinary nature, the number of quantum computing experts is still relatively small as it takes years to become one.
While becoming a genuine quantum computing expert is difficult, posing as one is relatively easy.
You have nothing to do but mention the quantum theory, and people will take your voice for the voice of science, and believe anything.
— Bernard Shaw (1938)
A number of parties try to take advantage of this in different ways:
- Multinational corporations developing quantum technologies lobby their interests to clueless government officials and try to steer the global conversation on issues such as climate change and food insecurity.
- A growing number of quantum startups drum up quantum hype and try to capitalize on it.
- Various quantum thought leaders, influencers, and outright charlatans pose as quantum experts to build their following. They “educate” the general public by appearing in various quantum podcasts, fireside chats, and discussion panels.
This has resulted in a yawning gap between what quantum computing experts know to be true and what non-experts can confidently assert in public. Dulwich Quantum Computing was born out of our mounting frustration with this situation and the cognitive dissonance it is causing.
By shining light on these issues, Dulwich hopes to encourage quantum computing experts to be more outspoken. If quantum hype and bullshit are left unchecked, they will eventually damage the reputation of the whole field, thus hurting everyone, including those who are trying to make legitimate progress.
Quantum hype and bullshit also mislead the general public whose tax money funds a lot of quantum computing research, and it erodes their trust in science and expertise in general.
Why the name?
If hype alone could get us to #1 in dining, why not also in quantum computing?
— CEO of Dulwich Quantum
Dulwich Quantum Computing is named after The Shed at Dulwich, a restaurant in South London that famously reached the #1 spot on TripAdvisor without ever existing. If you have never heard of it, we highly recommend you watch this video (you will not regret the 18 minutes of your life you wasted).
The Shed at Dulwich is a modern-day parable that illustrates the gullibility of the masses. Whether it’s the 17th century tulip mania or the more recent shitcoin and NFT bubbles, humans have always been susceptible to hype.
Unlike The Shed, quantum computing actually has the potential to deliver something useful. However, it won’t arrive tomorrow, and it won’t be a solution to climate change. It will most likely be something far less exciting and on a far longer timescale than quantum evangelists promise you.
Dulwich Quantum Awards
We hesitate calling ourselves a “parody” quantum startup since this would create a misleading distinction between us and many other quantum startups.
— CEO of Dulwich Quantum
As part of our mission to squash the inflated expectations around quantum computing, each year we announce our highly anticipated and prestigious Annual Dulwich Awards in Quantum Computing. Here are the official winners from the previous two years:
