Forecast 2050 Quantum, Superintelligence, and Reality's Ultimate Nature | Scott Aaronson on 2050
Mar 11, 2026
Scott Aaronson, a leading theoretical computer scientist known for work on quantum computing, joins to explore quantum vs classical AI. They discuss whether classical AI could outpace quantum, the urgency of post-quantum cryptography, quantum effects in biology and the mind, teleportation and identity thought experiments, and the risks of competing superintelligences in the coming decades.
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Lattice Based Cryptography Is The Near-Term Fix
- NIST-selected post-quantum algorithms (mostly lattice-based/LWE) are the current path forward, with government timelines to migrate.
- Aaronson notes winners announced by 2022 and U.S. federal agency migration targets around 2031–2035.
Quantum Is Now An Engineering Scalability Problem
- Hardware building blocks for fault-tolerant quantum computing (high-fidelity two-qubit gates, all-to-all connectivity) have been demonstrated.
- Aaronson compares the remaining challenge to a massive engineering scale-up rather than a fundamental science barrier.
Migrate Away From RSA And Elliptic Curves Now
- If you rely on RSA or elliptic-curve cryptography, start migrating now toward post-quantum schemes.
- Aaronson warns migration should begin immediately because cryptographically relevant quantum computers are plausible within decades.