Quantum Computing and Alibaba's Leap of Faith

(Beijing) – Building a quantum computer that processes data at speeds trillions of times faster than the world's fastest computer, China's supercomputer Tianhe-2, is the goal of a potentially game-changing venture launched by Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

If the project succeeds, the enormous impact of a lightning-speed computer based in China could make all of the advances wrought by computerization worldwide over the past five decades look like baby steps.