At a recent industry forum, a thought-provoking exchange unfolded between Qin Yinglin, the lifelong honorary chairman of Muyuan Group, and Jin Xianmin, founder of Turing Quantum. The conversation brought together two seemingly distant worlds: traditional agriculture and cutting-edge technology.

During the dialogue, Qin Yinglin floated a bold idea: could optical quantum computing help him raise healthier and more productive pigs? Jin Xianmin responded with cautious optimism, suggesting that by converting the biological activities of pigs—such as eating, sleeping, and growing—into data streams, farms could be modeled as complex systems with multiple variables. Quantum computing, he argued, could then be applied to identify optimal solutions, much like how new drug discovery screens molecular targets or how power grids manage supply and demand in real time. For him, the essence lies in leveraging novel computational power to solve age-old problems across traditional sectors.

The concept of "quantum pig farming" sparked academic criticism roughly a month later. Speaking at the same conference, Lu Chaoyang, executive director of Shanghai Research Institute of USTC and chair of the World Young Scientist Association, weighed in on the matter. He noted that while Google's most advanced quantum team is still actively pursuing algorithms through open challenges, several domestic quantum companies are already claiming applications such as drug discovery and quantum finance—and even quantum-assisted livestock management. From an academic perspective, Lu described such assertions as impractical or even unfathomable.

Lu further highlighted an ongoing divide within the quantum industry. On one side, a group of companies is dedicated to core hardware development and the pursuit of realistic, applicable quantum solutions. On the other, some enterprises are more focused on hyping computational breakthroughs to attract capital, driven more by financial maneuvering than by genuine technological progress. He cautioned that this latter approach risks creating a speculative bubble in the sector.