[CES는 블로터로]Misunderstanding of Quantum Computing by IBM

When interest in quantum computing grew in the 2010s, some expressed expectations that’quantum computers that are tens of thousands of times faster than existing computers will occupy our desks’. This is technically still a distant future, but quantum computers have a certain mystery like the feeling given by the name’quantum mechanics. There is not much known about quantum technology yet, so there are many speculations and unfamiliar expectations about quantum computers. Will quantum computers really replace conventional computers?

At the CES 2021 online booth, IBM introduced Q&A to the public’s questions and misunderstandings about quantum computing under the theme of’real stories about quantum computing’.

Katie Pizzolato, Director of Quantum Applications, IBM (Photo = CES video capture)

-To use a quantum computer, you need to know quantum physics?

“No,” said Katie Pizzolato, director of Quantum Applications for IBM, who appeared as a commentator. “You can get started with quantum computing today with the same computer and web browser you used to watch this video.” This is the story of cloud quantum computing services. Currently, IBM, along with Google and Intel, is regarded as the company that pays the most attention to popularizing quantum computing. In addition, in order to overcome the limitations of quantum computers that are still difficult to spread to the PC level, a service that helps users access quantum computer computation functions through the cloud, that is, a network, has been provided since 2016.

<씨넷> According to reports, as of April 2020, the cumulative IBM cloud quantum computing service called’Quantum Experience’ reached 225,000. It is also reported that more than 100 companies have subscribed to the premium paid service. This is a solution that helps to build quantum circuits easily through simple tools such as simulators without additional technical knowledge.

Quantum computer’IBM Q System One’ developed by IBM (Photo=IBM)

-The strength of quantum computers is the speed of processing large amounts of data?

Kate explained that quantum computers can process data faster than conventional computers using principles such as quantum’entanglement’ and’overlap’. Here, entanglement and superposition are the most difficult concepts when first encountering quantum computing, and in simple terms, they are the starting point for data storage and processing methods different from those of existing computers.

Let’s take a quick look. A general computer performs operations based on bit-based digital information composed of 0s and 1s, and each bit is processed sequentially with only one piece of information.

On the other hand, the Qbit of a quantum computer can represent 0 and 1 at the same time in physics (overlapping), and if there are n qubits using the property (entanglement) that one quantum can determine the state of another quantum The biggest difference is that you can get n-th power simultaneous results. Therefore, as the number of qubits that can be utilized in a quantum computer increases, the computational power is also increased to a square, so the computational power beyond imagination can be exhibited.

-Quantum computers are still too imperfect?

Kate dismissed “Not at all,” and said, “IBM, which started cloud quantum computing services in 2016, still has 25 quantum computers running reliably around the clock.”

-Will quantum computers replace conventional computers?

Kate denied this question as well. Quantum computers are structurally better suited for special tasks, and conventional computers still have better aspects than quantum computers, he explains. In other words, even in the future when quantum computing technology is developed, the two computers will coexist in a complementary relationship.

Likewise, the current quantum computer is expected to be useful in fields that require vast computational power, mainly in the medical field and life science research. For example, quantum computers capable of fast calculations in molecular units are showing good efficiency in natural phenomena simulations or pharmaceutical fields where the number of astronomical cases must be calculated.

Quantum computing began to be studied in earnest from the 21st century after the discovery of quantum theory in the 1960s (Source = IBM)

Meanwhile, IBM also released a separate infographic material related to quantum computing. According to the data, quantum computing technology is now in its preparatory stage, and now is the time to pursue faster speed and accuracy and to think about solving problems using quantum computers. It also predicted that its quantum computer technology, which is currently at the level of 50 qubits, will reach 127 qubits in 2021 and 1 million qubits in 2030. This is the same as saying that after 10 years, mathematical calculations at the level of 2 to the power of 1 million are possible with one operation.

In addition, quantum computing is referred to as a’computing revolution’ in which’bits (existing computers)’,’neurons (artificial intelligence)’, and’qubits (quantum)’ are all harmonized. He pointed out that training and the like are urgent.