[akjssdk]

Why is no one considering that this PhD student is wrong and that his supervisor does in fact know what they are doing? Starting in a new field is hard, and it takes years to get a broad view of the field in order to understand what directions to take. As a PhD student you are not expected to be able to do this: this is why you have a supervisor who has enough experience. Maybe the supervisor does have a clear vision as to where to take the research, and the student does not yet see this?

[dschuetz]

Because what you are saying is the default situation in research. Students don't speak up, because they are taught to keep their heads down whether they are right or wrong. The default assumption is that the supervisors know what they are doing, but this student has shared his experience that this is not always the case. Maybe you should start considering that maybe supervisors are wrong sometimes too?

[walleeee]

it's possible, but as far as I can tell enough of the quantum computing literature is overblown to make the anecdote plausible