Although the idea is relatively old, revolutionary quantum computers have recently become a hot topic among technology giants. After the Canadian company D-Wave, a pioneer in quantum computing but with limited applications, IBM has made the deepest foray so far by opening up the possibility of programming on quantum computers, while Google is working to make quantum computers commercially available within a few years, and Microsoft, Intel, etc. are entering the race. Why should quantum computers spark a revolution in technological advancement, which is already fast-paced? While today’s computers operate using zeros and ones, i.e., bits, which can be either one or the other, quantum computers use quantum bits or qubits, which can be either one or zero or both simultaneously (quantum superposition). This practically means they operate incomparably faster than standard computers. Their potential is incredible, but they are still utilized more in laboratories and research centers than in practical applications. However, the situation could soon change.
Quantum Computer in the Cloud
– The last few years have been really interesting, and we have accomplished a lot. One of the successes we have achieved, which we are extremely proud of, is the launch of our first cloud quantum computer – IBM Q Experience. This was an important step in building the quantum ecosystem – says Hrvoje Stanilović from IBM Croatia. Since its launch, IBM Q Experience has had 70,000 users who have conducted more than 1.7 million experiments. However, what is the purpose of building a quantum computer if you do not have programmers to program it? That is why IBM has engaged with the academic community to help students acquire the necessary skills in the field of quantum computing. In January, it launched a special award program for students, professors, and programmers. The idea is to introduce the industry to quantum computing and the benefits it brings by showcasing business examples of this technology. In September 2016, it devised a new way to simulate molecules on a quantum computer. This is a method that will one day revolutionize chemistry and materials science.
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– We successfully manipulated six qubits on a specially designed seven-qubit processor. The task was to simulate the structure of the beryllium hydride molecule (beryllium hydride, BeH2, note). This is currently the largest molecule simulated on any quantum computer. Results published in the journal Nature showed where future research on quantum systems should be directed to enable us to understand complex chemical reactions that can be widely applied in practice – says Stanilović.
Applications in Transportation, Finance, and Microelectronics
JP Morgan Chase will work with IBM to gain insight into how quantum computing can be applied to solve various challenges in the financial industry: for developing trading strategies for securities, optimizing portfolios, defining asset prices, and analyzing risks. Daimler AG will work on scientific research aimed at finding new materials for battery cells using knowledge from quantum chemistry and methods of complex optimization problems, such as routing vehicles in the logistics of autonomous self-driving car fleets. Samsung will be able to conduct more tests in which it will experiment with the application of new materials in microelectronics, test new methods of production optimization, and transformation of business processes.
In October, they simulated the superiority of quantum computers over ordinary classical computers – they simulated 49 and 56 qubits. This means, says Stanilović, that it is not all about the number of qubits. For example, when we buy a new laptop, do we only pay attention to the speed of the processor? No. We also care about the RAM, what kind of graphics processor it has, the speed of the flash drive, and more. The same goes for quantum computers. It is not just about the number of qubits. The quality of the qubits is also important, how they communicate with each other, and how quantum errors are minimized when they occur. IBM refers to this as quantum volume. It encompasses the number and quality of qubits, the connectivity of circuits, and the error rates that occur during operations. Users from Croatia have conducted, says Stanilović, nearly a thousand operations on the IBM Q Experience quantum computer so far, but due to IBM’s privacy protection rules, details cannot be disclosed. In December last year, IBM announced the first users of commercial quantum computers IBM Q. These first twelve organizations are part of the global IBM Q Network. These are companies such as JPMorgan Chase, Daimler AG, and Samsung that will have access to advanced quantum systems and IBM Q technologies to explore and find some very practical applications they could use in their business and scientific research.
Global Centers
IBM, as a leader in this field, will establish a series of global centers in collaboration with academic institutions and national laboratories and will conduct research and education with them to make the best use of the innovations brought by quantum computing. Two such centers are located at the Oak Ridge National Lab and the University of Oxford. Through them, scientific communities and industry users who wish to utilize the latest computing technologies will be granted online access to IBM Q systems. The first organizations to be networked in the IBM Q Network will have cloud access to IBM Q systems with a capacity of 20 qubits. Quantum computers are extremely powerful machines that process information in a new way.
– They are designed based on the principles of quantum mechanics and are grounded in fascinating, hidden natural laws. By exploiting these laws, quantum computers can execute entirely new types of algorithms and process information holistically. One day, they will enable revolutionary discoveries in medicine and the design of entirely new materials. Additionally, they will facilitate the discovery of new, revolutionary methods in optimizing complex systems, greater security in the cloud, and advancements in artificial intelligence. We expect quantum computers to open all those doors we thought were forever closed – says Stanilović.
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Advancement of Technologies How will business and everyday life look when quantum computers are used on a mass scale? Chemistry is, for example, one of the areas where quantum computers can potentially do a lot. Quantum computers will also be used to explore complex optimization routines, for example in transportation, logistics, and financial services. The most well-known routine in this area is called the ‘traveling salesman’; it answers the question of what is the best and fastest way to visit 25 cities you want to see. Quantum computers will enhance technologies such as machine learning and artificial intelligence, which are based on optimization algorithms. In conclusion, Stanilović emphasizes that quantum computers will not replace classical ones. These machines will be used together, similar to how supercomputers and personal computers are used today. Therefore, neither will text processing applications run on supercomputers, nor will we be writing on quantum computers.
