IQT Blog Looks to Future & Asks “When Will Quantum Computers Become Useful?
(IQT.Blog) Inside Quantum Technology has published its latest blog which discusses “When will quantum computers become useful? The thoughtful analysis is summarized in IQT News today with the compete essay to be found by clicking here.
The blog asks these very real questions now are (1) how quickly can we get our quantum machines to a point where they can do something useful; and (2) what could these useful things be?
Technology Determinants For Success
We don’t know the answers to these questions. But as a station on the way to these answers, we suggest that partial answers will be found in (a) what type of quantum computing technologies prevail in the medium-to-long term? And (b) how fast the Qubit processing capacity of commercial quantum computers? To an important extent (b) will depend on (a).
To date, there are many different ways to build Qubits. The Exhibit below contains a list of some of the main approaches and several of the companies using them. Our strong suspicion is that ten years from now this list will be shorter and perhaps different. If good room temperature machines prove themselves then superconducting machines will disappear. It is unlikely that the market will really need many different kinds of technology – one or two (perhaps one) will become the technology of choice for end users.
How fast will Qubit capacities grow: The type of quantum technologies that prevail will help shape and will in turn be shaped by the core technologies that are selected. But in the end, the underlying technology doesn’t matter nearly as much as the results produced. These results are heavily dependent on the number of Qubits along with error rates. Writing actual software and algorithms for a quantum computer is a relatively new field – there is much left to explore. However, one thing is certain – many more Qubits are needed than the 50-60 that are available in the top existing machines to fulfill the promise of quantum computers.
Click here to read complete text of blog.
For more in-depth discussions on quantum computers and other quantum technologies be sure to participate in the Inside Quantum Technology Online Conference on October 26-30, 2020.
Contact:
Lawrence Gasman
lawrence@insidequantumtechnology.com
