Quantum Computer or Coffee Machine!

Last week I came across this strange and colorful picture which somewhat resembles a giant chandelier. I forwarded the picture to one of my friends over WhatsApp and asked him to guess what this strange contraption was. His first guess was “Coffee Machine”. Incidentally this friend happens to be one of the leading data scientists in the Netherlands today.

The object being referred to here is the most powerful Quantum Computer that is commercially available on earth today. Hardly any other cutting-edge technology or idea is shredded in so much mystery in today's era. Most of the application programmers (including me) are not aware of the R&D that is going around quantum computing. But the scenario is slowly changing today because more and more news and speculations are popping up every day around quantum computers and so are more and more industry use cases being widely socialized and discussed. If you could ignore the earlier, it is impossible to ignore when some of the job openings pop up carrying a title as below:

Why is Quantum Computer different?

The quantum computer is a different kind of machine which uses a quantum processor (and not a normal processor based on transistors) that is manufactured using the principle of quantum mechanics. So, instead of bits (1|0), the quantum processor uses qubits (superposition) for computation. Also, it is important to remember that a quantum computer is not faster than a classical computer universally. If you use a classical algorithm to solve a problem, then a classical computer is a more effective machine. Quantum Computers are more effective in problems where the classical computer needs to do an extremely high number of iterations/operations to arrive at the result. In such cases, the quantum computer with the help of the quantum algorithm works faster because the number of iterations you need to do using the quantum algorithm is exponentially lower.

What are some of the use cases?

1. Encryption/Public Key cryptography & Search Algorithms – All modern cryptography for digital security is based on the generation of random numbers or finding prime factors of a large number. Both these operations are reversible by a classical computer when you exhaust all the possible iterations. But a quantum computer with the help of Shor’s algorithm can break today’s public key cryptography in seconds. The same quantum principle can be applied to search algorithms. The reality is, we have a lot of time before the quantum technology reaches that maturity!
2. IoT – The world is adding billions of online devices every month which gathers data. This huge data needs to be analyzed and processed. The only constraint is the processing speed and data security (apart from latency – which would be hopefully addressed by 5G). Quantum computing can offer tremendous speed for data analysis while ensuring super-efficient data security at the same time. e.g. South Korean SK telecom system has come up with a quantum-safe system that consists of quantum key distribution, quantum random number generator, and an operating system. They are providing the technology to Deutsche Telecom for trial.
3. AI/ML – Machine learning technology with the power of quantum computers can be a killer combination (Quantum Machine Learning). Cognitive intelligence can be so powerful that it could probably simulate and predict any future event. The machine could play god someday! Few practical applications could be in the field of Logistics, Autonomous Car, Digital Surveillance, Weather Prediction, Financial Modelling and Stock Price Prediction, etc e.g. (a) Volkswagen has launched in Lisbon the world's first pilot project for traffic optimization using a quantum computer (b) Japanese banks MUFG and Mizuho have joined IBM Q Hub at Keio University to experiment with future applications for quantum computing in the financial sector.
4. Understanding Quantum Objects – The molecules are quantum objects and hence follow the principles of quantum mechanics. It is easier to simulate different molecules and the chemical reactions between molecules using quantum computers. It would be useful in genetic research and the medical field to find out the effect of molecules on different proteins and the effect of genetic mutation/design on the human body. e.g. Bayer working with Atos and Aachen University to research usage of Quantum Computing in analyzing human disease patterns.
5. Astronomy- The understanding of quantum objects could be useful in the field of astronomy as well, where the astrophysicists could be able to model and fathom the mystery behind the behavior of the cosmic objects and the history of the universe or the logic behind the “Big Bang”.

Players and Technologies

IBM – It has a ready commercially available quantum computer. Don’t worry, nobody needs to buy the whole machine, you can develop a quantum algorithm in a high-level programming language (Qiskit) and you can send the code to IBM through an easy interface and the code would be executed on IBM's quantum computer. You will get back the result. It’s like a shared quantum computer (same as processing power on rent or as a service!!!).

Microsoft – Has its quantum development kit (Q# is the programming language). It has a lot of standard machine learning libraries available for the users to play around.   

Google – Tensor Flow Quantum (TFQ) framework and libraries are available for prototyping of the quantum model. Also, the cryogenic chip from google can probably make the quantum computers smaller and more sustainable (CMOS chip within IC that would replace the coaxial cables that are required for traditional quantum computers).

Intel – Similar to google it has also developed a cryogenic chip which is called “Horse Ridge”. They are also experimenting with silicon spin qubit which could operate at a higher temperature of 1 Kelvin (called Hot Qubit!).

Others – Atos, Accenture, Qusoft, and many other niche organizations and even some of the universities have set up their R&D centers on Quantum computers. Quantum Computing Startup PsiQuantum, a 5-year-old startup based in Palo Alto, Calif., says it’s well on its way to creating a commercial quantum machine, the boldest claim to date among a legion of hopefuls in the field. It has raised $215 million to build a computer with 1 million Qubits, within a handful of years.

Quantum Computers are still in its initial days and there is a long way to go before the technology realizes its full potential. The more Qubits we are able to create and control simultaneously, the more powerful would the quantum computers become. It's up to us to use the new technology the way we want: for the evil or for the good of mankind!