QUANTUM gets networked [2021 trends]

Quantum computing (QC) is not a new-kid-on-the-block. If you still seek easy way to wrap you head around quantum computer, here is short take on it from one of my previous posts. However, for QC to cross the line from cool to useful, it still needs to accumulate more QuBITs (basic operating capacity units) to arrive at (range of) thousands; where even the best quantum computers are still below 100 of them for now. Until they get there, quantum computer remains fancy, too costly brag-item of the lab or company annual report.

On the positive note, human kind seems to take lessons from ordinary computer’s history. The real burst in (commercial) heavy computing launched when companies had stopped trying to build their own gym-size server rooms and honed the power of networked, cloud orchestra of “ordinary” PCs. Same way out of the trouble, Quantum computing will in 2021 enter era of networked clusters. Because, as complicated it is to amass large Qubit units in single system, our internet infrastructure makes it possible (if not down right easy) to gear distant smaller QC’s into powerful assemblies.

This “let’s connect” trend will also incentivize teams already daring to build smaller Qubit instances but failing to catch-up with IBM-like behemoths race for record QuBITs in single machine. Before they had no “commercial value” behind building small QC.  Now they can rent their QC computational power in small chunks and on demand. Ok, but who cares?

Ongoing rise of QC clusters will certainly raise eyebrow of the cryptographic community. As cloud quantum computers will make it easier to crack through some recent all-mighty cypher standards. Teams striving for complex simulations will meddle their hands, too. Ultimately, networked QC’s might accelerate also quantum computing shift towards mainstream.

 

 

 


Publikované dňa 10. 1. 2021.