First ‘thermodynamic computer’ uses random noise to calculate

A first-of-its-kind computer can perform calculations using the random “noise” that is inherent in our world. It is built using standard commercial components and could eventually run artificial intelligence programs more efficiently than conventional computers.

In conventional computers, all calculations are reduced to sequences of 1s and 0s, represented as the switching on and off of many tiny switches. However, these computers must contend with random thermodynamic noise, like a piece of a circuit warming up and unexpectedly turning a 0 into a 1.…