Future of Computer Progress: Trends in Technology and Computing Economics

Explore the future of computing progress in this 30-minute conference talk by Dr. Neil Thompson, Director of the Future Tech Research Project at MIT. Gain insights into major technology trends and the economics of computing shaping the industry's future. Learn about the importance of computing power in driving advancements across various fields, the significance of algorithm progress, and the role of specialized hardware like GPUs and tensor processing units. Understand the limitations of hardware acceleration and the challenges in finding a successor to Moore's Law. Discover the potential impact of quantum computing on specific algorithms and its coexistence with classical computing. Delve into topics such as protein folding, AI, weather prediction, miniaturization, and paths forward beyond CMOS technology. Benefit from Dr. Thompson's extensive experience in advising businesses and government on technological advancements and his multidisciplinary background in computer science, statistics, economics, physics, and international development.

Introduction
Protein folding
Predicting protein folding
Computing power and AI
Weather prediction
Progress so far
Miniaturization
The problem
Paths forward
Algorithm progress
Hardware progress
Beyond CMOS