In simplistic terms, quantum mechanics is a field that deals with the study of things that are very small, isolated, and cold. While this may not create an appealing picture at first, consider the problem we are facing currently. Already, the exponential growth of the number of transistors in a chip, as predicted by Moore's law, seems to be slowing down.
Why is this important? These transistors are actually what permits us to compute! From simple data storage to the complex mathematical operations native to neural networks, all data representation in classical computers is by virtue of these semiconductor devices. We use them to amplify and switch electric signals, thereby creating logic gates capable of tracking the presence of charged electrons (1) or absence thereof (0). These switches can be manipulated to create binary digits, or bits...
