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Quantum researchers are in a race for qubits, and Microsoft is in the thick of the competition. Microsoft has spent the last 20 years pursuing a topological approach to quantum development. Last week, they had a breakthrough: The company counted eight topological qubits on their Majorana 1 chip. They published a paper in Nature, got a glowing New York Times piece about a new state of matter, and buoyed quantum stocks across the market. Eight qubits isnt anywhere near what would be needed to reach full-scale quantum computing. That number is in the millions, and they would need to be error-corrected. Other companies, like IBM and Google, are much further ahead on thatjust with different models. Microsoft finally proved that the topological approach could work; now, theyve got to catch up. (Think of it like discovering a new way to build a car engine: Microsoft just got theirs to start, while others are already racing down the track.) There are reasons to be excitednamely, that a topological approach could be less susceptible to noisebut theyre still vastly behind in scale. If anybody believes this means that Microsoft is close to a commercial quantum computer, they’re missing the point, says Alan Baratz, CEO of D-Wave Quantum, a rival quantum company. It’s a validation that [topological] is a viable approach. Will it be a better approach than superconducting or trapped ion or photonic or neutral atom? That remains to be seen. The many paths to quantum computing All of our computers operate using bits, the smallest unit of digital information. This bit can be either a zero or a one. Quantum researchers are now developing bits that can be both zero and one at the same timesomething that would dramatically speed up computations. These qubits are difficult to develop, even harder to scale, and almost impossible to correct for errors. Still, researchers at major companies have made significant progress. But theres not one singular way to build a qubit. The most prominent approach to making a qubit relies on superconducting circuitsGoogle, IBM, and Amazon Web Services have all bet big on that. Another is the photonic technique, which uses light particles as qubits; thats being developed domestically by PsiQuantum and Xanadu, and overseas by Chinese researcher Jian-Wei Pan. Each has shown promise, but most still face major hurdles, keeping large-scale, error-corrected quantum computing years away. Microsoft has added a topological approach to the rat race. [For other modalities], we’ve demonstrated the physics as a community. Now it’s about scale, says Jack Hidary, CEO of AI company SandboxAQ. In the case of topological, it’s the one modality that needed a fundamental science breakthrough. But, while Microsoft has reached their science breakthrough, other companies have pushed further. Both Hidary and Baratz reference Googles Willow chip, which employs the superconducting approach. Not only did Willow employ significantly more qubits, but it also proved that error-correction was scalable. The more qubits, Google found, the more they reduced error. They were able to show partial error correction on gate model qubits for the first time, and that’s critically important, Baratz says. That’s a true advance. I think [Majorana 1] is just a proof of concept widening. Baratz is, like a number of physicists, generally skeptical of the Microsoft announcement. He references Microsofts previous failure in the arena: After publishing a 2018 paper in Nature claiming a Majorana discovery, quantum researchers began to question their findings. Microsofts scientists admitted insufficient scientific rigour in 2021, and Nature retracted the paper. Baratz also notes that the paper ignored qubit or gate fidelity, both measures of accuracy. It leads you to wonder, what is this chip actually capable of doing, and to what extent is it actually a process? he asks. For their part, Microsoft is embracing the spirit of competition. Others are working to bring this same vision to life, but with different approaches, a Microsoft spokesperson wrote in an email to Fast Company. This is what makes science fun. Some in the field believe an alternative approach is the right one to take and have invested significant time and resources into their methods. We understand why they would want to advocate for their approach. Discourse and skepticism are all part of the scientific process. Still, theres a reason scientists continue to call Microsofts paper a breakthrough. While the company may not have anything close to a quantum computeror even a lead in the race to get theretheyve pulled off something thought previously unimaginable. Most had simply given up on the topological approach. The topological approach is the most scientifically daunting approach to building a quantum computer, and that’s why Microsoft deserves credit, Hidary says. Kudos. How far are we from full-scale, marketable quantum computing? Thats still unknown. But experts like Karthee Madasmy, who was an early investor in PsiQuantum, thinks the Microsoft news is yet another good sign. The timeline has shrunk, he says. Its not multiple decades away, Madasmy says. Its actually a few years away.
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In 2034, Salt Lake City will join a short list of cities that have hosted a Winter Olympic Games twice, joining the likes of Turin and Innsbruck. But unlike in any Olympics of the past, skiers and bobsledders may glimpse a surreal sight overhead as they competeflying air taxis. Though still nine years away from the Opening Ceremony, aviation company Beta Technologies sees the state of Utah as a proving ground for its electric planes. As competitors focus on major cities like New York and Los Angeles, Beta has inked a deal with Utah to start exploring transportation solutions across the very rural state. The Beehive State had a confluence of benefits for Beta, including a varied geography, well-distributed airports, expansive land for testing, and a foot already in aviation. In our space, everybody (municipalities and states) wants to raise their hand, says Kyle Clark, Betas founder and CEO. But it’s only a few who step up and [allocate] the right money, the right political resources, the right regulatory support, the right businesses. If Beta can create a functioning network of electric planes to connect the remotest parts of Utah, initially focusing on cargo and logistics, then it should be able to streamline naturally into carrying passengers for the 2034 Olympics. Connecting Utahs remote areas Utah has created a coalition designed to support companies like Beta comprises the governors office, the state Department of Transportation, and public-private aerospace partnership, 47G (named for 1847, the year the first Mormons reached the Salt Lake Valley, and for a number close to the most G-force ever experienced, 46.2). 47G is focused on growing aerospace and defense in the state, industries that already represent 20% of Utahs economy. The organization helps 200 aerospace-adjacent companiesfrom startups, to contractors, to Delta Air Linesto source capital, build infrastructures, and incubate. Beta was a welcome addition. We want to move people and packages, and we want Utah to lead out on this space, says Aaron Starks, 47Gs president and CEO. We wanted to bring a partner in and not just sell us aircraft, but build the ecosystem with us. One significant hurdle is FAA certifications, which Beta will need to progress. It has three certifications pending: It expects the first, for its pusher motorthe propulsion device that pushes the craft forwardto be completed this year, followed by those for its eCTOL (conventional take-off and landing) and eVTOL (vertical take-off and landing) models. If they come through, Utah will be an inviting market. Utah was the fastest-growing state by population between 2010 and 2020, and is due to welcome 500,000 new residents by 2033. Thatll increase demand for cargo, medical, and logisticsall of which Beta wants to operate in, having already secured partners that include Amazon, UPS, and United Health Therapeutics. Utahs unique geography suits Betas goals. Of its 29 counties, only four are not considered rural, and a third of the state is desert. That allows the possibility for aircraft to improve rural routes that are otherwise inefficient to traverse. Clark says the minor roads that connect eastern and western Utah slow down transport, which is precarious when it involves goods like emergency medical supplies. Its a state actively seeking out faster and cheaper options. Carbon emissions from vehicles also contribute to poor air quality, as the mountainous topography leads to a phenomenon called inversion, whereby cold air and pollutants, including carbon, get trapped under a layer of warmer air, resulting in thick smog. As a state, we are very much on board with decreasing the emissions footprint through clean technologies, Starks says. Making it happen The coalitions first order of business will be developing airport infrastructure to accommodate Betas vehicles across Utah, where 94% of the population lives within a 30-minute drive of an airport. They have started identifying five initial existing airports that could serve as bases for both of Betas aircraft offerings: eCTOLs and eVTOLs. The latter, which rise upward like helicopters instead of accelerating along a runway and taking off, need slightly different sites known as vertiportswhich could easily be added to existing airports. Vertiport sounds big and scary, Clark says, [but] weve built vertiports that are de-iced landing pads with lights on them. These are pretty simple things. Beta and the coalition have also begun an assessment of optimal sites for a charging network, with the help of Betas algorithm, which its used to place 60 of its charge cubes across the U.S., mainly concentrated in the Northeast and South. The fast chargers are multi-modal, meaning they can accommodate EV road fleets like trucks and delivery vans. So, once Betas FAA certifications come through, both the planes and networks will be ready to go for their partners. UPS loves the fact that we’re putting in a bunch of charging network nodes throughout Utah, Clark says. For Clark, the ability to validate the entire system holistically within a single state makes Utah a better market entry point than major metropolitan areas, where its competitors, including Archer Aviation and Joby Aviation, have focused on passenger air taxis. Archer has announced Newark-to-Manhattan and OHare-to-Chicago routes with United Airlines, which has conditionally approved $1.5 billion of investment; and Joby has partnered with Delta, with up to $200 million. But cities pose complicated regulatory hurdles from municipalities and communities, Clark says, as well as the need for intricate power and flight infrastructures. And for such a new offering, the size of demand from would-be passengers is yet unknown. It’s going to happen, he says. But you have to ask the question: Is that the right entry point? Archer and Joby, both public companies, are reportedly both planning to use the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics as the milestone event for proving out their air taxis. But caution lingers from the Paris Olympics, where grand promises of air taxis by European companies fell flat. Clark believes the L.A. Games are too soon to do this effectively, and it would merely be a bit of a stunt to show the world flying taxis without providing any real use. Conversely, he says the plan in Utah gives them time to rehearse with cargo and logistics for almost a decade, so that by 2034 they can meaningfully taxi Winter Olympics visitors across the skies. Clark insists hes unfazed by his competitors, but still slams what he views as their superficial strategies. We are aquiet, private company, and we have been crushing the technology, he says. You may not see us out there making fancy videos of the future, because we’re building the real stuff here.
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When Netflix reality show Dubai Bling debuted in 2022, it became a global sensation, garnering viewers across 51 countries. And it’s kept up the momentum: The show’s recently released third season racked up 18.6 million hours of viewing time in its first week alone. Dubai Bling, filmed in English and Arabic, is subtitled in 31 languages and dubbed in 5. The show has been part of a surge in Arabic content on Netflix attracting global viewership. Last springs Honeymoonish, an Arab-language rom-com from Kuwait, trended in the top 10 film list of 73 countries, amassing more than 22 million views. Danya Diva Dee Mohammed in Dubai Bling, Season 1 [Photo: Hyku Desesto/Netflix] Love Is Blind Habibi, the Arab adaptation of the hit reality show Love Is Blind, premiered on Netflix in October 2024 and ranked among the top 10 global non-English shows in 26 countries. Netflix’s commitment to showcasing stories from the Arab region has been a game changer for Arab filmmakers, according to Dubai Bling creator Mazen Laham. Though he had worked on multiple Arabic-language shows previously, they were local projects with nowhere near the scope of Netflixs viewership. As the streaming platform has invested in stories told in Arabic, it has given Arab-led projects global reach by dubbing them in multiple languages. [Before Netflix] we didn’t have the chance to show the world what content we can produce, Laham says. We were always producing for local platforms and channels. Nobody had the opportunity to see what we do. Netflixs targeted move Investing in original content from the Arab region is a strategic move for Netflix: The worlds fastest-growing population is in the Middle East and Africa. Arab-speaking countries have a combined population of more than 473 million people, and more than 55% of the people in the Middle East and North Africa are younger than 30. A young and growing population poses a lucrative viewership opportunity for Netflix. Nour El Haj in Love is Blind: Habibi [Photo: Netflix] Netflix has also launched several initiatives aimed at encouraging young creative talent from the Arab world, focusing especially on nurturing female filmmakers through financial grants and upskilling opportunities. Because She Created provides a platform for female creatives in the Arab world who are pioneering new paths in the film industry. As part of the Netflix Fund for Creative Equity, the initiative also offers a onetime grant of $250,000 to support female filmmakers in their creative endeavors. In July 2024, Netflix also launched the Saudi Female Future Filmmakers Program, an advanced mentoring initiative designed to identify the next generation of female talent in the Saudi film industry. Through these projects [Netflix is] automatically nurturing the industry. The more projects that we deliver to the industry, the better the industry will become, says Wael Abumansour, a Saudi producer with Telfaz11, the studio behind Netflix films such as AlKhallat+, The Matchmaker, and Naga. He adds that the demand for content from the Arab region is accelerating really fast, which makes it an exciting time to be an Arab filmmaker. Taking Arab content global Abumansour says the creative freedom that Netflix extends to showrunners and filmmakers allows them to explore diverse narratives and cultural themes. In 2024, the platform aired a diverse slate of shows and films from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Kuwait, and Jordan from both emerging and seasoned creatives from the region. Raneem Haitham (in pink) plays Farah in the second season of the Jordanian series AlRawabi School for Girls. [Photo: Courtesy of Netflix 2024] One of those emerging talents is Tima Shomali, the Jordanian writer-director of the teen drama AlRawabi School for Girls, one of Netflixs most successful series, garnering solid viewership in 43 countries. Shomali believes that Arab content has increasing appeal on streaming platforms because of its well-crafted scripts and characters who resonate with audiences. Tima Shomali created and directs the Jordanian teen drama AlRawabi School for Girls. [Photo: Courtesy of Netflix 2024] The most important thing in a story is writing root-worthy characterscharacters that people can relate with, sympathize with, Shomali says. AlRawabi connected with people regionally and internationally, because maybe a lot of people actually connected or saw themselves or someone they know in one of these characters. The hope is that Netflixs investment continues to pay off for Arab storytelling. It’s time for Arabic content to travel, Shomali says. We’ve always imported content from the West. And now it’s time for us to export our content.
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