Although quantum computing concepts can seem strange and difficult to learn, many of them are easy to understand in the context of simple demonstrations. For example, a quantum bit (qubit) may hold the value of 0 or 1, or some combination of those values. When measured, the state of the qubit collapses to either 0 or 1, based upon the probabilities expressed in its hidden quantum state. A simple demonstration, or “quantum party trick” if you will, can shed light on this phenomenon as well as how it is leveraged in quantum computing.

In this session, James Weaver gives an entertaining introduction to quantum computing, After covering a brief history of quantum computers, James demonstrates key concepts in quantum computing using several party tricks disguised as programs running on a quantum computer. By the end of this session, attendees are exposed to concepts and tools that enable them to develop programs that run on quantum computers.