Quantum Computers: Solve Many Problems and Create Many New Problems

IBM’s Thomas J. Watson Research Center in Wesrchester County, New York State has the latest quantum computer the size of an oil drum that can be used to accomplish certain tasks millions of times faster than a regular laptop.

Inside the aluminum tube of IBM System One, there are three cylinders with a reduced circumference protected by the same type of protective glass as the Mona Lisa painting protector. It wraps a chandelier of a silver wire that flows through a thick gold plate to the quantum chip. To make sure everything works properly, the chip requires a super cooler of up to 0.015 kelvins.

The capabilities of quantum computers are very unique. Quantum can process piles of data so that it can optimize the routes of thousands of fuel tankers that cross the globe, decide which ICU patients need the most urgent treatment, mimic chemical processes at the atomic level to better design new materials, and promise to improve artificial intelligence by training better algorithms. Reporting from the Time page, quantum AI simulations show an astonishing level of effectiveness and efficiency.

Currently, many companies are racing to dominate the quantum computer industry, such as; Google, Amazon, and Alibaba. There is also a Spanish company, Multiverse Computing, which has run pilot projects and has had success with multinational clients such as BASF and Bosch. Multiverse Computing uses its quantum algorithm to double the profits of foreign exchange trading and catch nearly four times more production line flaws.

Unlike traditional computers that rely on binary ‘bits’ to process information, quantum computers are supported by ‘qubits’ that exponentially increase computing power. That leaves the global quantum computing industry projected to grow from $412 million in 2020 to $8.6 billion by 2027, according to an International Data Corp. analysis.

But the presence of new technologies inevitably comes with risks. Quantum computers have risks that social security is concerned about. The problem-solving capacity that quantum computers have will soon make all existing cryptography obsolete. This will certainly endanger communication, financial transactions, and military defense. The quantum computer industry will be like the beginning of the internet or classical computing.

While companies are demanding to leverage quantum, IBM has emerged in recent years as an industry leader. Today IBM has more than 60 working quantum computers. In addition, last November, IBM unveiled its new Osprey 433-qubit chip which is the strongest quantum processor in the world. To build an industry around quantum IBM frees up the use of some of its machines, while for paid clients it can access more powerful ones remotely on a lease basis.

The use of the quantum industry is unlimited. The BMW company in Munich uses quantum computing to accurately predict how complex materials of various shapes work under pressure and find optimal results between design and interior space. This is done to meet the safety criteria of BMW products.

Over the past few years, quantum has moved from footnotes to the top of the global security agenda. To date, 17 countries have national quantum strategies and four others are developing them.

China has invested about $25 billion in quantum research since the mid-1980s and has broken records by launching the first quantum satellite in 2021 and a 56-qubit quantum computer in 2021. In May 2021, China also made quantum mastery a policy priority.

The White House also eventually issued a National Security Memorandum ordering all federal agencies to switch to post-quantum security due to significant risks to national security and the economy. To make this happen, America is holding a $1 trillion fund to improve cybersecurity.

Post-quantum security is indispensable because almost all cyber security, from WhatsApp messages, bank transfers, to digital signatures, is based on RSA which is an asymmetric cryptographic algorithm. Ordinary computers take billions of years to crack RSA, while quantum computers only take hours.

The war in Ukraine is also a warning. Because the beginning of this heated conflict is a cyber attack, where Russia targets communications and vital infrastructure to lay the foundation of its military attacks. That leaves public services, energy networks, media, banks, businesses and nonprofits targeted by cyber-blitzkriegs that would affect the distribution of food, medicine and other aid supplies.

So it is certain that national security is based on the speed and accuracy of decision-making. Post-quantum security is needed because if the computer owned is faster than the opponent, the probability of winning is much higher.

However, concerns around quantum don’t just stem from security risks. Quantum confuters involve very mysterious physics, so traditional verification becomes very complicated. So what can be done now is to simulate many quantum calculations on traditional computers to examine the results while building trust across the ecosystem to later be ready to use and adapt quantum computing.

IBM seeks to reduce the indecision over the use of quantum computing by making its quantum computers open source, and welcomes academics and entrepreneurs from all over to research and use them.