Quantum computing having a moment. But the technology is futuristic

There is no buzzing artificial intelligence, but quantum information process spends a moment in itself.

Some of the most powerful institutions in the world, including Google– Microsoft– Amazon– IBM And the US government spends millions of dollars in a race to develop and build the first practical quantum computer.

Initiatives focused on quantum technology attracted approximately 2 billion dollars last year, McKinsey & Co. ReportAs investors enter an industry that can generate approximately 100 billion dollars in a decade.

Still, there’s not much work today. According to the same report, Quantum Information Processing Companies earned less than $ 750 million in 2024.

But more and more, we feel a big breakthrough.

Last year, Microsoft introduced the first quantum chip, Google executives said that the technology could be only five years away, Amazon exhibited the quantum processor that corrected error and summarized the plan to create a meaningful quantum computer until 2029.

To join them are the scores of small companies and universities working on the underlying mathematics, software or potential business model. Some companies are traded to the public and can see that stocks have risen or collapsed based on a news core.

In January, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, quantum calculation, considering how much it will last, considering the “early” on the “early side” quantum information processing stocks extinguished. At that time, he said that there was a time frame for 20 years.

Two months later, he withdrew the comments, but he also expressed his surprise that even the markets they carry or even markets to be moved.

“How can a quantum computer company be open to the public?” Huang said in March.

Currently, there is nothing useful for quantum computers. They are completely for research.

But the promise is clear. If the technology works, it can beat certain types of numbers and can do some tasks that are currently impossible on a traditional computer or require enough time to end before the universe is completed.

To imagine a quantum computer, you need to fundamentally change what you think about calculating.

A traditional computer works because there are billions of transistors in each chip. These transistors may be open or closed ones or zero. Many, transistors can represent almost every number, refer to the sections of the system’s memory and make arithmetic. Today, every computer in the world works like this.

On a quantum computer, the system uses kubit instead of transistors. This and much more complex than zeros. It is determined by the quantum mechanics whether the dome is open or closed, and all the dome are “circulated”, that is, a change in one will affect the possibility of others.

The work of the Kubits may require a significant infrastructure. For example, some quantum computers must be operated at very cold temperatures close to absolute zero.

So far, most of the applications for quantum are about simulating chemistry and physics.

“Quantum computers will not be preferred for every application, and no problem,” Microsoft’s Developed Quantum Development Vice President Krysta said. “Even if we use quantum computers for material science and chemistry, 96% of the goods produced by the world rely on chemistry and material science.”

Security researchers are worried about what they say Q-dayOr the day of an effective quantum computer. Passwords and encryption predict chaos when it starts to fail in a mysterious way.

“In addition to its potential benefits, quantum information processing, as well as a significant risks for the economic and national security of the US,” Biden White House. He said. National Security Grade. “You can endanger civil and military communication, weaken control and control systems for critical infrastructure, and most internet -based security protocols can overcome security protocols for financial transactions,” a cryptographic quantum computer.

Today, there is no practical application or algorithm that can be run on a quantum computer that cannot be performed on a normal silicone -based, digital computer.

However, several groups show that they have proved their “quantum superiority” and have problems with a quantum computer that will last much longer with a traditional computer. All of the actions were isolated.

Google was the first person to declare the quantum superiority in 2019 and the success of the quantum computer “Quality Test“His task is called random circuit sampling used only to test quantum computers.

Google says that the computer gives random instructions to make researchers as a complex problem as possible under quantum mechanics. Researchers were later able to show that a quantum computer was faster in deciphering the quantum problem. Last year, Google said that the new, faster quantum computer plane tree has expanded the performance gap.

In terms of future real world practices, most of the quantum computer potential are in the fields of medicine, chemistry and material research.

Google points to finding drug discovery or molecules that may be useful drugs. He also says that quantum computers can make the science needed to commercialize fusion energy.

When Microsoft announced its first quantum chip in February, the company emphasized the problems of chemical and material science, such as why some materials wear or how to compost plastic.

There are some optimism that quantum computers will be very suitable for creating educational data for AI applications, especially for many potential solutions related to potential solutions.

A Google Researcher Keeps a web page Most of these most important quantum algorithms are catalogs.

Most famous Shor’s algorithmHe showed that a quantum computer can find a much faster main factor on a digital computer than possible.

When the algorithm was discovered in 1994, he was a little worried about the soldiers in the world. Many use a encryption method called RSA, which needs a large number of factories to keep the data confidential.

“Without effective mitigation, the effect of contentious use of a quantum computer may be destructive. [national security systems] And our nation, “Pentagon He said in 2021.

Microsoft accepted the national security factor and framing quantum safety as a race against China.

“Although most of the United States still have the leading position of the United States, we cannot ignore the possibility of a strategic surprise, or we cannot ignore that China may be in parity with the United States,” Microsoft President Brad Smith said in a blog post in April.

The government has made an effort to move the encryption to post -quantum methods that could not be broken by the quantum computer. Companies like Apple I started to integrate the encryption after quantum to services such as imessage.

However, past communication may still contain secrets. Intelligence organizations and other computer pirates usually collect encrypted data with the expectation that the password can be solved one day.

For now, most of the quantum studies are still quite academic.

Today, most of the advanced hardware companies are working on various methods to reduce the number of errors or reduce the number of errors and make it less harmful when they occur.

According to Microsoft researchers, Kubites on today’s quantum computers fail 1000 times in 1000 times. Microsoft in question Last week, thanks to a new approach, it was able to reduce the error rate 1,000 times.

Various improvements have been announced last year in error fix, which is a reason why researchers and engineers are getting more and more sure that they can create a quantum computer.

The next issue to be discussed is to scares computers.

Google’s new Willow Chip 105 Kubit. Microsoft’s Majorana chip has eight. Starling 200 Kubit from IBM plans to buy. Amazon’s Ocelot chip has 14 kubit. In the coming years, these figures should rise. Google and Microsoft say that a really useful quantum computer will need 1 million domes.

WRISTWATCH: Quantum Information Process Reaching a Bending Point