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

Additional Coverage

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

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.