Jens Eisert joins ML4Q as a member for the next funding period which was granted around the time Chris and Mira recorded this Episode with him. So naturally, they discuss the German Excellence Initiative and how joining ML4Q was a natural step for Jens, given he has many previous and ongoing collaborations with other ML4Q members.

Jens shares his insights on various aspects of quantum information processing such as benchmarking and no-go theorems, his recent white paper on AI and quantum computing, quantum error correction, complexity and pseudo chaos. Ultimately Jens makes a convincing case that quantum computers remain fascinating "even if you confine yourself to saying things that are true". He reflects on the unwritten rules of academia, teaching and inspiring students, and his approach to finding research topics by looking for "cultural gaps" between fields.

00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:54 - Early to bed and early to rise
00:04:04 - Joining ML4Q for the next phase
00:12:50 - The German Excellence Initiative and funding landscape
00:25:32 - Jens’ Career journey
00:35:47 - Quantum advantage - hype vs reality
00:45:36 - Benchmarking quantum systems
00:50:58 - Quantum computing and artificial intelligence
01:05:55 - Would you rather?
01:13:56 - Jens' current favorite research topic
01:22:29 - Teaching and inspiring the next generation