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On Wed, 7 Aug, 8:03 AM UTC
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[1]
After AI, quantum computing eyes its 'Sputnik' moment
CAMBRIDGE (AFP) - Quantum computing promises society-changing breakthroughs in drug development and tackling climate change, and on an unassuming English high street, the race to unleash the latest tech revolution is gathering pace. The founder of Cambridge-based Riverlane, Steve Brierley, predicts that the technology will have its 'Sputnik' breakthrough within years. "Quantum computing is not going to be just slightly better than the previous computer, it's going to be a huge step forward," he said. His company produces the world's first dedicated quantum decoder chip, which detects and corrects the errors currently holding the technology back. Building devices "that live up to the technology's incredible promise requires a massive step change in scale and reliability, and that requires reliable error correction schemes", explained John Martinis, former quantum computing lead at Google Quantum AI. In a sign of confidence in Riverlane's work and the sector in general, the company announced on Tuesday that it had raised USD75 million in Series C funding, typically the last round of venture capital financing prior to an initial public offering. "Over the next two to three years, we'll be able to get to systems that can support a million error-free operations," said vice president of quantum science at Riverlane Earl Campbell. This is the threshold where a quantum computer should be able to perform certain tasks better than conventional computers, he added. Quantum computers are "really good at simulating other quantum systems", explained Brierley, meaning they can simulate interactions between particles, atoms and molecules. This could open the door to revolutionary medicines and also promises huge efficiency improvements in how fertilisers are made, transforming an industry that today produces around two percent of global CO2 emissions. It also paves the way for much more efficient batteries, another crucial weapon in the fight against climate change. Exquisite control The amount of information that quantum computers can harness increases exponentially when the machine is scaled up, compared with conventional computers. "I think most people are more familiar with exponential after Covid, so we know how quickly something that's exponential can spread," said Campbell, inside Riverlane's testing lab, a den of oscilloscopes and chipboards. In traditional computers, data is stored in bits, and each bit can take a value of 0 or 1, much like a light-switch can be 'on' or 'off'. One bit can therefore represent two states, such as black or white. Quantum bits, or 'qubits', are more like dimmer switches, and one of them can store all values between 0 and 1, meaning all colours of the spectrum can be represented on one qubit. But there is a catch. The strangeness of quantum behaviour means that the values have to be read many times and processed by complex algorithms, requiring "exquisite control" of the qubits. The qubits are also highly susceptible to errors generated by noise, and the solution to this problem is the "key to unlocking useful quantum computing", said Brierley. Tech giants such as Google, IBM, Microsoft and Amazon are all investing huge sums in generating qubits, and in trying to reduce errors, either through shielding the hardware or by combining qubits and then using algorithms to detect and correct mistakes. Super exciting "This is like the way an SSD (memory) card works. It's built out of faulty components with active error correction on top," said Brierley. All of which increases the number of components required and time taken to execute individual operations. "We definitely won't be using quantum computers to send email," explained Brierley. Those drawbacks grow at a steady rate as the computer gets larger, whereas the benefits increase on an upward curve, explaining why they work better on larger, more complex tasks. "And this means that we'll be able to solve problems which would otherwise be unsolvable," said Brierley. While today's quantum computers can only perform around 1,000 operations before being overwhelmed by errors, the quality of the actual components has "got to the point where the physical qubits are good enough," said Brierley. "So this is a super exciting time. The challenge now is to scale up... and to add error correction into the systems," he added. Such progress, along with quantum computing's potential to crack all existing cryptography and create potent new materials, is spurring regulators into action. "There's definitely a scrambling to understand what's coming next in technology. It's really important that we learn the lessons from AI, to not be surprised by the technology and think early about what those implications are going to be," said Brierley. "I think there will ultimately be regulation around quantum computing, because it's such an important technology. And I think this is a technology where no government wants to come second."
[2]
After AI, quantum computing eyes its 'Sputnik' moment
Cambridge (United Kingdom) (AFP) - Quantum computing promises society-changing breakthroughs in drug development and tackling climate change, and on an unassuming English high street, the race to unleash the latest tech revolution is gathering pace. The founder of Cambridge-based Riverlane, Steve Brierley, predicts that the technology will have its "Sputnik" breakthrough within years. "Quantum computing is not going to be just slightly better than the previous computer, it's going to be a huge step forward," he said. His company produces the world's first dedicated quantum decoder chip, which detects and corrects the errors currently holding the technology back. Building devices "that live up to the technology's incredible promise requires a massive step change in scale and reliability, and that requires reliable error correction schemes", explained John Martinis, former quantum computing lead at Google Quantum AI. In a sign of confidence in Riverlane's work and the sector in general, the company announced on Tuesday that it had raised $75 million in Series C funding, typically the last round of venture capital financing prior to an initial public offering. "Over the next two to three years, we'll be able to get to systems that can support a million error-free operations," said Earl Campbell, vice president of quantum science at Riverlane. This is the threshold where a quantum computer should be able to perform certain tasks better than conventional computers, he added. Quantum computers are "really good at simulating other quantum systems", explained Brierley, meaning they can simulate interactions between particles, atoms and molecules. This could open the door to revolutionary medicines and also promises huge efficiency improvements in how fertilisers are made, transforming an industry that today produces around two percent of global CO2 emissions. It also paves the way for much more efficient batteries, another crucial weapon in the fight against climate change. 'Exquisite control' The amount of information that quantum computers can harness increases exponentially when the machine is scaled up, compared with conventional computers. "I think most people are more familiar with exponential after Covid, so we know how quickly something that's exponential can spread," said Campbell, inside Riverlane's testing lab, a den of oscilloscopes and chipboards. In traditional computers, data is stored in bits, and each bit can take a value of 0 or 1, much like a light-switch can be 'on' or 'off'. One bit can therefore represent two states, such as black or white. Quantum bits, or 'qubits', are more like dimmer switches, and one of them can store all values between 0 and 1, meaning all colours of the spectrum can be represented on one qubit. But there is a catch. The strangeness of quantum behaviour means that the values have to be read many times and processed by complex algorithms, requiring "exquisite control" of the qubits. The qubits are also highly susceptible to errors generated by noise, and the solution to this problem is the "key to unlocking useful quantum computing", said Brierley. Tech giants such as Google, IBM, Microsoft and Amazon are all investing huge sums in generating qubits, and in trying to reduce errors, either through shielding the hardware or by combining qubits and then using algorithms to detect and correct mistakes. 'Super exciting' "This is like the way an SSD (memory) card works. It's built out of faulty components with active error correction on top," said Brierley. All of which increases the number of components required and time taken to execute individual operations. "We definitely won't be using quantum computers to send email," explained Brierley. Those drawbacks grow at a steady rate as the computer gets larger, whereas the benefits increase on an upward curve, explaining why they work better on larger, more complex tasks. "And this means that we'll be able to solve problems which would otherwise be unsolvable," said Brierley. While today's quantum computers can only perform around 1,000 operations before being overwhelmed by errors, the quality of the actual components has "got to the point where the physical qubits are good enough," said Brierley. "So this is a super exciting time. The challenge now is to scale up... and to add error correction into the systems," he added. Such progress, along with quantum computing's potential to crack all existing cryptography and create potent new materials, is spurring regulators into action. "There's definitely a scrambling to understand what's coming next in technology. It's really important that we learn the lessons from AI, to not be surprised by the technology and think early about what those implications are going to be," said Brierley. "I think there will ultimately be regulation around quantum computing, because it's such an important technology. And I think this is a technology where no government wants to come second."
[3]
After AI, Quantum Computing Eyes Its 'Sputnik' Moment
Quantum computing promises society-changing breakthroughs in drug development and tackling climate change, and on an unassuming English high street, the race to unleash the latest tech revolution is gathering pace. The founder of Cambridge-based Riverlane, Steve Brierley, predicts that the technology will have its "Sputnik" breakthrough within years. "Quantum computing is not going to be just slightly better than the previous computer, it's going to be a huge step forward," he said. His company produces the world's first dedicated quantum decoder chip, which detects and corrects the errors currently holding the technology back. Building devices "that live up to the technology's incredible promise requires a massive step change in scale and reliability, and that requires reliable error correction schemes", explained John Martinis, former quantum computing lead at Google Quantum AI. In a sign of confidence in Riverlane's work and the sector in general, the company announced on Tuesday that it had raised $75 million in Series C funding, typically the last round of venture capital financing prior to an initial public offering. "Over the next two to three years, we'll be able to get to systems that can support a million error-free operations," said Earl Campbell, vice president of quantum science at Riverlane. This is the threshold where a quantum computer should be able to perform certain tasks better than conventional computers, he added. Quantum computers are "really good at simulating other quantum systems", explained Brierley, meaning they can simulate interactions between particles, atoms and molecules. This could open the door to revolutionary medicines and also promises huge efficiency improvements in how fertilisers are made, transforming an industry that today produces around two percent of global CO2 emissions. It also paves the way for much more efficient batteries, another crucial weapon in the fight against climate change. The amount of information that quantum computers can harness increases exponentially when the machine is scaled up, compared with conventional computers. "I think most people are more familiar with exponential after Covid, so we know how quickly something that's exponential can spread," said Campbell, inside Riverlane's testing lab, a den of oscilloscopes and chipboards. In traditional computers, data is stored in bits, and each bit can take a value of 0 or 1, much like a light-switch can be 'on' or 'off'. One bit can therefore represent two states, such as black or white. Quantum bits, or 'qubits', are more like dimmer switches, and one of them can store all values between 0 and 1, meaning all colours of the spectrum can be represented on one qubit. But there is a catch. The strangeness of quantum behaviour means that the values have to be read many times and processed by complex algorithms, requiring "exquisite control" of the qubits. The qubits are also highly susceptible to errors generated by noise, and the solution to this problem is the "key to unlocking useful quantum computing", said Brierley. Tech giants such as Google, IBM, Microsoft and Amazon are all investing huge sums in generating qubits, and in trying to reduce errors, either through shielding the hardware or by combining qubits and then using algorithms to detect and correct mistakes. "This is like the way an SSD (memory) card works. It's built out of faulty components with active error correction on top," said Brierley. All of which increases the number of components required and time taken to execute individual operations. "We definitely won't be using quantum computers to send email," explained Brierley. Those drawbacks grow at a steady rate as the computer gets larger, whereas the benefits increase on an upward curve, explaining why they work better on larger, more complex tasks. "And this means that we'll be able to solve problems which would otherwise be unsolvable," said Brierley. While today's quantum computers can only perform around 1,000 operations before being overwhelmed by errors, the quality of the actual components has "got to the point where the physical qubits are good enough," said Brierley. "So this is a super exciting time. The challenge now is to scale up... and to add error correction into the systems," he added. Such progress, along with quantum computing's potential to crack all existing cryptography and create potent new materials, is spurring regulators into action. "There's definitely a scrambling to understand what's coming next in technology. It's really important that we learn the lessons from AI, to not be surprised by the technology and think early about what those implications are going to be," said Brierley. "I think there will ultimately be regulation around quantum computing, because it's such an important technology. And I think this is a technology where no government wants to come second."
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As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to dominate headlines, quantum computing is poised for its own breakthrough moment. Experts believe quantum supremacy could be achieved within the next five years, potentially revolutionizing various industries.
In the wake of artificial intelligence's rapid advancements, quantum computing is emerging as the next technological frontier poised for a significant breakthrough. Experts in the field are anticipating a "Sputnik moment" for quantum computing, drawing parallels to the launch of the first artificial satellite that sparked the space race 1.
Quantum supremacy, the point at which quantum computers can solve problems beyond the capabilities of classical computers, is expected to be achieved within the next five years. This milestone could potentially revolutionize various industries, from drug discovery to financial modeling 2.
Despite the optimism surrounding quantum computing, significant challenges remain. The technology is still in its early stages, with current quantum computers being error-prone and requiring extreme cooling conditions to operate. However, the potential benefits are immense, with quantum computers capable of solving complex problems in minutes that would take classical computers thousands of years 3.
Countries around the world are investing heavily in quantum research and development. China has reportedly spent $10 billion on a national quantum laboratory, while the United States has pledged $1.2 billion for quantum information science. The European Union and other nations are also ramping up their quantum initiatives, recognizing the strategic importance of this technology 1.
Quantum computing has the potential to transform various sectors:
Tech giants like IBM, Google, and Microsoft are heavily invested in quantum research. IBM aims to develop a 4,000-qubit quantum computer by 2025, demonstrating the rapid progress in the field. Startups are also playing a crucial role, with companies like PsiQuantum working on photonic quantum computers 3.
As the race for quantum supremacy intensifies, the coming years promise exciting developments in this groundbreaking technology. The potential impact of quantum computing on various industries and scientific fields makes it a key area to watch in the near future.
Reference
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Microsoft unveils Majorana 1, a groundbreaking quantum processor built on topoconductors, promising greater stability and scalability in quantum computing. This development could revolutionize various fields including AI, cryptography, and drug discovery.
5 Sources
5 Sources
Google's new quantum chip, Willow, has demonstrated unprecedented computational power, completing a task in minutes that would take classical supercomputers septillions of years. This achievement has ignited discussions about quantum supremacy and the potential existence of parallel universes.
28 Sources
28 Sources
Google DeepMind and Quantum AI teams introduce AlphaQubit, an AI-based decoder that significantly improves quantum error detection and correction, potentially bringing practical quantum computing closer to reality.
6 Sources
6 Sources
Nvidia announces the creation of a Boston-based Accelerated Quantum Research Center, partnering with Harvard and MIT to combine AI supercomputing with quantum technologies, aiming to overcome key challenges in quantum computing.
6 Sources
6 Sources
Germany takes a significant step in quantum computing with the inauguration of IBM's first European quantum data centre. Chancellor Olaf Scholz expresses the country's ambition to become a world leader in quantum technologies.
2 Sources
2 Sources
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