Search for Quantum Advantage: What Algebra Reveals

by Prof. Arkadev Chattopadhyay (TIFR, Mumbai)

Wednesday 22 Jul 2026, 16:00 → 18:00 Asia/Kolkata

AG66

Quantum computers promise to process information in ways that classical computers cannot. But where exactly should we look for this advantage, and how can we tell when it is impossible?

We will describe a mathematical search for the “hideouts” of quantum advantage. We will begin with simple models where some of the first quantum algorithms were discovered, and then move to the richer world of communication, where separated observers must combine partial information about a system. Along the way, algebraic measures will play, somewhat surprisingly, the role of a detector: sometimes revealing that quantum speedups cannot be too large, and sometimes pointing to places where quantum advantage could reside.

The talk is intended for a general scientific audience without assuming any specialized knowledge. The emphasis will be on the guiding ideas rather than technical details.