Quantum Supremacy Evokes White Supremacy
False Assumption: The scientific term 'quantum supremacy' irresponsibly evokes 'white supremacy' and risks sustaining divisions in race, gender, and class.
Written by FARAgent on February 10, 2026
In 2019, John M. Martinis and his Google team published a paper claiming 'quantum supremacy,' a term coined by John Preskill in 2011 to describe quantum computers outperforming classical ones in tasks impossible for traditional machines. Three physicists wrote a letter to Nature denouncing the term as overriding historical context and terrifying Physicists of Color by association with 'white supremacy.' They demanded 'quantum advantage' instead.
Preskill rejected the change, arguing 'quantum advantage' failed to capture the qualitative leap beyond mere speed. The term stuck in scientific use despite the protest. No major cancellations followed for Martinis or his co-authors.
In 2025, Martinis shared the Nobel Prize in Physics for foundational quantum work from the 1980s. The Royal Swedish Academy ignored the 2019 controversy entirely. Critics now view the letter as peak cancel culture overreach, with growing recognition that equating scientific terminology to racial supremacy was baseless.
People Involved
- In 2011, John Preskill, a professor at Caltech, coined the term 'quantum supremacy' to describe a quantum computer's qualitative edge over classical ones. He stood by it years later, calling it cooler and more accurate than alternatives like 'quantum advantage.' [1]
- By 2019, three physicists, Carmen Palacios-Berraquero, Leonie Mueck, and Divya M. Persaud, challenged this in a letter to Nature. They argued the word 'supremacy' evoked white supremacy and could deepen divisions in race, gender, and class. [1]
- That same year, John M. Martinis, a quantum researcher, faced backlash for using the term in a paper. Critics tried to cancel him, but he shared the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics anyway. [1]
▶ Supporting Quotes (3)
“We take issue with the use of ‘supremacy’ when referring to quantum computers that can out-calculate even the fastest supercomputers (F. Arute et al. Nature 574, 505–510; 2019). We consider it irresponsible to override the historical context of this descriptor, which risks sustaining divisions in race, gender and class.”— Vibe Shift: Quantum Supremacy Guy Wins Physics Nobel
“Preskill responded that he’d rejected “quantum advantage” precisely because it misses the point: “quantum supremacy” doesn’t represent an advantage in quantity but a difference in quality: when a quantum computer can do something traditional computers simply can’t.”— Vibe Shift: Quantum Supremacy Guy Wins Physics Nobel
“The American quantum computing wizard Martinis was subjected to one of the funnier Cancel Culture controversies when he and his team published an article in 2019 about “quantum supremacy,””— Vibe Shift: Quantum Supremacy Guy Wins Physics Nobel
Organizations Involved
Nature, the prestigious scientific journal, stepped into the fray in 2019. It published the letter from the three physicists that denounced 'quantum supremacy' as irresponsible. [1] This move amplified the idea that the term might sustain racial divisions, even as growing evidence suggests the link was overstated. The journal's platform lent weight to the assumption during a time of heightened DEI focus. [1]
▶ Supporting Quotes (1)
“A letter to the editor in Nature then denounced the term “quantum supremacy” as terrifying Physicists of Color by reminding them of “white supremacy:””— Vibe Shift: Quantum Supremacy Guy Wins Physics Nobel
The Foundation
The assumption took root in the late 2010s, amid a surge in diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. The physicists' letter claimed 'supremacy' ignored the historical baggage of racial supremacy, making the term seem risky in that context. [1] This view appeared credible at first, as it tapped into broader cultural sensitivities. Yet it overlooked the scientific intent, which focused on a breakthrough in computing power. Increasingly, this foundation is recognized as flawed, for generating the sub-belief that neutral technical terms must evade any whiff of supremacy, no matter the field. [1] The debate lingers, but evidence mounts against equating the two uses so directly.
▶ Supporting Quotes (1)
“We consider it irresponsible to override the historical context of this descriptor, which risks sustaining divisions in race, gender and class. We call for the community to use ‘quantum advantage’ instead.”— Vibe Shift: Quantum Supremacy Guy Wins Physics Nobel
How It Spread
The idea gained traction in 2019 through a correspondence letter in Nature, one of science's top outlets. [1] This high-profile piece spread the notion far and wide, pressuring physicists to rethink and rename 'quantum supremacy.' Media coverage followed, echoing the claim that the term risked social harm. [1] In academic circles, the assumption prompted discussions and some self-censorship, though growing recognition highlights its overreach. Social pressures in the DEI era helped propel it, even as the core link to white supremacy grew increasingly seen as tenuous.
▶ Supporting Quotes (1)
“CORRESPONDENCE 10 December 2019 Instead of ‘supremacy’ use ‘quantum advantage’ By Carmen Palacios-Berraquero, Leonie Mueck & Divya M. Persaud”— Vibe Shift: Quantum Supremacy Guy Wins Physics Nobel
Downfall
By 2025, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics to John M. Martinis and others, brushing aside the 2019 uproar over 'quantum supremacy.' [1] The term stuck in scientific papers and talks, undeterred by the earlier pushback. John Preskill had defended it all along, insisting on its precision and appeal. [1] His stance helped stall the rename effort. Growing evidence now suggests the assumption was misguided, though some debate persists; the controversy faded without reshaping the field, exposing how cultural critiques sometimes miss the mark in technical domains.
▶ Supporting Quotes (2)
“Nobel folks don't care about a 2019 Kancel Kulture Kontroversy.”— Vibe Shift: Quantum Supremacy Guy Wins Physics Nobel
“Also, quantum supremacy sounds cooler than quantum advantage.”— Vibe Shift: Quantum Supremacy Guy Wins Physics Nobel
Sources
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[1]
Vibe Shift: Quantum Supremacy Guy Wins Physics Nobelreputable_journalism