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13,000x Faster: How Quantum Computing Just Changed Everything

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Episode: "13,000x Faster: How Quantum Computing Just Changed Everything"

Air Date: Monday, October 28, 2025

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Google's Willow quantum chip just shattered computing limits, performing calculations 13,000 times faster than the world's best supercomputer. Meanwhile, Santa Barbara's ChipAgents secured $21M to revolutionize chip design with AI. Plus: CSU becomes the nation's first AI-powered university system, and we explore what these breakthroughs mean for South Coast tech.

Hosts: Mark & Alice
Duration: 15:00
Music: Felix Rossi via Suno.ai

TOPICS COVERED

[00:30] Google's Quantum Computing Breakthrough

  • Willow chip achieves "verifiable quantum advantage"
  • Quantum Echoes algorithm: 2 hours vs 3.2 years on supercomputers
  • Real-world applications in medicine and materials science within 5 years

    • [04:00] ChipAgents Raises $21M Series A

    • Goleta-based AI chip design company
    • 6,377% growth in usage, deployed at 50 semiconductor companies
    • Led by UCSB Professor William Wang

      • [05:30] CSU's AI-Powered University Initiative

      • 460,000 students & 63,000 faculty/staff get free AI tools
      • $16.9 million ChatGPT Edu investment
      • Partnership with OpenAI, Microsoft, NVIDIA

        • [07:30] Tech Funding & Infrastructure Update

        • Fal.ai: $250M funding, $4B valuation
        • Meta launches Llama 4 for business applications
        • Focus shifts to reliability over hype

          • [09:00] Quick Hits

          • OpenAI's ChatGPT Atlas browser
          • Harvard's 2-hour continuous quantum computer
          • US-China tech export tensions

            • [11:00] This Week in Tech

            • Tuesday: Apple M5 announcement expected
            • Wednesday: EU AI Act implementation details
            • Thursday: Santa Barbara Tech Alliance meetup @ Impact Hub

              • [12:30] Coastal Intelligence Spotlight

              • New AI 101 resource for local businesses
              • Founded by Jim Sterne, Mark Sylvester, Mike Wald
                • KEY QUOTES

                "This isn't just another 'quantum supremacy' claim - Google's actually demonstrated something they call 'verifiable quantum advantage.'" - Alice

                "Having companies like ChipAgents in our backyard means Santa Barbara isn't just watching this revolution; we're actively building it." - Mark

                "Sometimes the best tech isn't the flashiest - it's what actually works every day." - Alice

                SOURCE LINKS
                Primary Stories
                • Google's Quantum Breakthrough Announcement
                • Bloomberg: Google's Willow Quantum Chip
                • ChipAgents $21M Funding (Yahoo Finance)
                • CSU AI Initiative
                  • Additional Coverage
                  • The Quantum Insider: 13,000x Speedup Analysis
                  • EdSource: CSU AI Tools Rollout
                  • Harvard's Continuous Quantum Computer
                    • Local Tech Market Data
                    • Santa Barbara Tech Jobs Report
                      • 1,300 new tech jobs projected by 2027
                      • $3 billion economic impact
                      • Average tech salary: $151,861
                        • LOCAL COMPANIES FEATURED

                        ChipAgents (Goleta)

                        • AI-powered chip design tools
                        • Led by Professor William Wang
                        • chipagents.ai

                          • Invoca (Santa Barbara)

                          • Conversation intelligence AI
                          • 15,000+ customers
                          • invoca.com

                            • Procore Technologies (Carpinteria)

                            • Construction management software
                            • AI tools serving 15,700+ customers
                            • procore.com

                              • FastSpring (Santa Barbara)

                              • Digital commerce infrastructure
                              • $2B+ transactions processed
                              • fastspring.com
                                • UPCOMING EVENTS

                                Santa Barbara Tech Alliance Meetup

                                • Thursday, October 31, 2025
                                • 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
                                • Impact Hub Santa Barbara
                                • Topic: "Scaling in a Mid-Sized Market"
                                • Register

                                  • Coastal Intelligence AI 101 Workshop

                                  •  coastalintelligence.ai/blog/11-03-25-AI-101 Perfect for businesses new to AI
                                  • coastalintelligence.ai
                                    • RESOURCES
                                    • Coastal Intelligence AI 101 Guide: coastalintelligence.ai/blog/11-03-25-AI-101
                                    • UN International Year of Quantum: quantum2025.org
                                    • Get Current Podcast: getcurrent.io
                                      • CONNECT

                                      Get Current

                                      • Web: getcurrent.io
                                      • Email: [email protected]
                                      • LinkedIn: Get Current Podcast

                                        • Coastal Intelligence

                                        • Web: coastalintelligence.ai
                                        • Newsletter: Weekly AI insights for South Coast
                                          • PRODUCTION CREDITS

                                          Hosts: Mark & Alice
                                          Musical Integration: Felix Rossi
                                          Production: Get Current Team
                                          Episode Music: Created with Suno.ai
                                          "Contemplative wonder with sparse piano and subtle electronic textures"

                                          Get Current is a weekly tech news podcast focusing on how global technology trends impact California's South Coast. New episodes every Monday.

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                                          Get Current - Navigate the latest in AI—An original Coastal Intelligence podcastBy Mark Sylvester