Scott Aaronson — Quantumania (EP.240)

My guest today is Scott Aaronson, a theoretical computer scientist, OG blogger, and quantum computing maestro. Scott has so many achievements and credentials that listing them here would take longer than recording the episode. Here's a select few: Self-taught programmer at age 11, Cornell computer science student at 15, PhD recipient by 22! Schlumberger Centennial Chair of Computer Science at The University of Texas at Austin. Director of UT Austin's Quantum Information Center. Former visiting researcher on OpenAI's alignment team (2022-2024). Awarded the ACM prize in computing in 2020 and the Tomassoni-Chisesi Prize in Physics (under 40 category) in 2018. … you get the point. Scott and I dig into the misunderstood world of quantum computing — the hopes, the hindrances, and the hucksters — to unpack what a quantum-empowered future could really look like. We also discuss what makes humans special in the age of AI, the stubbornly persistent errors of the seat-to-keyboard interface, and MUCH more. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, some highlights from Scott’s blog, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, “Hmm, that’s interesting!” check out our Substack. Important Links: Shtetl-Optimized (Scott’s blog) My Reading Burden On blankfaces Show Notes: So much reading. So little time. The problem of human specialness in the age of AI It’s always the same quantum weirdness Why it’s easy to be a quantum huckster Quantum progress, quantum hopes, and quantum limits Encryption in a quantum empowered world Wielding the hammer of interference Scientific discovery in a quantum empowered world Bureaucracy and blank faces Scott as Emperor of the World MORE! Books Mentioned: The Fifth Science; by ****Exurb1a The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy; by Douglas Adams