Extropic, founded in 2022, aims to revolutionize the computation landscape by integrating generative AI with the physics of the world. The company is focused on developing a new computing paradigm that leverages out-of-equilibrium thermodynamics. According to the post, Extropic’s approach seeks to merge generative AI with physical processes, potentially redefining computation efficiency in terms of space, time and energy.
The team writes: “One then wonders, given the dawn of the Generative-AI-first era, could we fundamentally reimagine what is a “computer”? One could imagine a computer which, instead of suppressing the natural entropy of the world, achieves symbiosis with it, leveraging it as an asset.”
The startup’s team comprises experts primarily from the fields of Physics and AI, with several members having backgrounds in quantum computing. Extropic was founded by Guillaume Verdon, a former quantum tech lead within Alphabet’s X team and a pioneer in the field of quantum deep learning. Trevor McCourt, the CTO of Extropic, has a background in mechanical engineering and quantum programming, while Christopher Chamberland, the Principal Architect, has previously led quantum computing efforts at AWS and IBM.
Entropy Computing
Extropic’s mission is to embed generative AI into the physical processes of the world, achieving limits of efficiency as defined by the laws of physics, according to the post. This ambition is rooted in a vision of computing that works in harmony with natural entropy, rather than against it. The company’s approach involves a computer that is self-programming and highly efficient, potentially scaling Generative AI without the need for massive energy production.
The post states that many team members were motivated to form the company because of the extended timelines to realize quantum computers based on traditional approaches.
They write: “Our team was formed as an AI expedition effort at the frontiers of Physics, combining scientists and engineers with backgrounds primarily in Physics and AI, with several key members coming from a scientific exodus from quantum computing. As the timelines to scalability for quantum physics-based computers grew endlessly longer and longer, many of our team sought a different path to practical physics-based computing. One that is not reliant on quantum mechanics, one where noise is an asset rather than a liability, one where a miracle in device physics is not required to reach industrial scale.”
The seed funding will be instrumental in accelerating the development of Extropic’s computational paradigm. The investment round also includes contributions from a diverse group of angel investors like Aidan Gomez from Cohere, Amjad Masad from Replit, and Balaji Srinivasan from Coinbase, demonstrating broad-based support for Extropic’s vision.
Extropic’s endeavor represents a significant shift from traditional computing paradigms, moving away from reliance on quantum mechanics and embracing noise as an asset. The company’s interdisciplinary team, with its extensive experience in physics-based AI, is well-positioned to pioneer this unified approach to Physics and AI.
This funding round not only underscores the growing interest in AI and physics-based computing solutions but also highlights the potential of Extropic’s novel approach to computation. With its fresh capital, the company is set to pursue its goal of fundamentally redefining computation, potentially leading to breakthroughs in the field of generative AI and beyond.
