Understanding D-Wave Quantum Computers
A critical point in assessing this research is understanding the nature of the quantum computer used. The D-Wave machines employed by the Shanghai researchers are often referred to as quantum annealers:
- These are specialized devices designed for specific tasks, not general-purpose quantum computers.
- Their ability to factor RSA keys was already established in previous research, including work by professor Sala's colleagues.
- It's unclear whether these machines could effectively conduct rapid factorization of large RSA integers in real-world scenarios.