Does This Appear Alien?When you first see a quantum circuit, it can feel a bit like staring at an alien language. Strange wires run across the page. Boxes with cryptic symbols sit on top. And the whole thing seems detached from the way we normally think about software. But here’s the twist: quantum circuits aren't alien at all. They're just the way we use to describe quantum computations. And once you know the building blocks, you’ll see they’re not only familiar, they’re surprisingly intuitive.September 19, 2025

Dear Quantum Machine Learner,

When something new first appears, it often feels strange. Think about the first time you saw a quantum circuit diagram. Lines and boxes, unfamiliar symbols, and rules that didn’t quite match your intuition. It looked alien. But the more you explored, the more those patterns started to make sense. What once felt mysterious turned into a language you could read.

Today's post is a little like that. I am experimenting with another format for a blog post. It may seem unusual at first glance, just as quantum circuits do when you meet them for the first time. Yet, like circuits, the strangeness fades once you get used to it. The goal is the same: to make quantum machine learning clear, approachable, and engaging for you.

This post is accompanied by a PDF file. I still need to implement this feature on my new platform. But I don't want to keep it from you. You can view it on LinkedIn.

I would love to hear what you think. Does this new style help you connect more easily with the ideas? Does it feel like a step in the right direction, or would you prefer the more traditional flow?

Your feedback is invaluable as I keep refining this space. You can reply directly or leave a comment—I always enjoy learning from your perspective.

Thank you for being part of this journey into quantum machine learning. Together, we can make the alien familiar.

Enjoy reading the post

—Frank ZickertAuthor of PyQML