Intel CEO backs photonic quantum computing, reveals stakes

Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan praised photonic quantum computing, said he relies on AI agents and disclosed personal investments in IonQ and PsiQuantum, adding that he has joined PsiQuantum's board, on the QuantumJane podcast.

Tan described his turn to AI agents and said he cannot recall the exact number he uses, but that he depends on them. He checks their progress first thing each morning and called them "amazing." He said agents reduce the number of human assistants he needs for research.

He said he has a positive view of agent-driven AI and has raised its potential to increase processor demand during Intel's financial calls while AI infrastructure develops.

Tan distinguished agents from traditional AI by noting that agents act independently to set goals and execute actions, unlike large language models such as ChatGPT and Grok. He noted that Grok Bot from xAI is offered in packages priced up to $300 per month.

Tan said the first quantum company he invested in personally was IonQ after its founder, a Korean entrepreneur, contacted him. IonQ uses trapped ions and natural atoms as qubits suspended in a vacuum rather than fabricated qubits.

IonQ uses lasers to remove an electron from neutral ytterbium atoms to create positively charged ions. The company says this method preserves qubit states longer, enables more complex computations, can reduce the cooling needed for quantum processors and can lower the number of logical gates required for operations.

Tan said he bought IonQ shares personally and sold half of his holding after the company went public, but he continues to follow its work.

Tan said PsiQuantum uses photons as qubits and leverages silicon-photonics chips made with conventional semiconductor fabs. He cited this approach as reducing the need for signal converters and enabling data transmission over fiber.

PsiQuantum's photonic approach, Tan said, is faster than trapped-ion methods and does not require the same cooling, although photon detectors still require cryogenic cooling. He said using photons allows more precise direction and positioning, better networking and greater scalability. He invested in PsiQuantum and joined its board.

Tan noted a connection between PsiQuantum and former Intel CEO Patrick Gelsinger, who serves as a general partner at Playground Global, an early investor in PsiQuantum.

Tan also listed other technologies he watches as CMOS approaches limits, naming silicon carbide and indium phosphide as important alternatives. He said CMOS struggles with sustained temperatures above 150 degrees Celsius and with high voltages.

He named microfluidic cooling and synthetic diamond as additional areas of interest. Microfluidic cooling places microscopic coolant channels directly on chip surfaces so liquid runs closer to active transistors. Synthetic diamond offers higher thermal conductivity and better resistance to electrical breakdown compared with traditional materials.

Tan made these remarks during his appearance on the QuantumJane podcast.