Summary of IQT NYC Online Keynote by IBM’s Dr. Robert Sutor, VP of Quantum Ecosystem Development
(IQT.NYC.Online) Dr. Robert Sutor, VP of IBM Quantum Ecosystem Development provided the opening Keynote June 1.
His comments are summarized here. The archived video and PDF versions of his speech are available to registrants of the event.
Sutor wanted to point out where we are in the market evolution. He said “There has been a remarkable amount of progress made in quantum computing the past few years.”
He mused on the magical quality of the word “quantum” and pointed out how quantum “anything” appeals to people. When you bring up quantum, people want to know more. The “term” itself of interest. It’s a huge break from classical science and physics.
Sutor explained that he will focus on quantum computing although the conference scope is much broader.
He said the most important word is What is concept AUTHENTICITY, that he understand things that are really quantum not things that are marketing terms with the word ‘quantum’ in the title.
He asked the audience to consider? What is quantum computing? His boiled down approach is that quantum computing is nature inspired but requires actual hardware. Let’s start with nature which is one big computer which can access immense amounts of data and carry out complicated processes. Can we learn how nature does things so we can do it, too? This lets us apply a different computing model to problems that have been intractable.
Quantum computers work with classical computers so classical can do more. . you can’t talk to a quantum computer unless you have a classical. Sutor also cautioned, “Don’t use word hybrid because that is assumed.”Sutor defined Quantum advantage “Build classical + quantum computing systems that offer significant advantages over only classical systems for commercial use.”
Sutor discussed three application areas of quantum computing:
1) We can explore the areas of new chemical innovation;
2) We can explore better financial service simulations;
3) We can explore finding better patterns with AI/ML processes;
What has IBM been doing in the arena of Quantum Computing?
Four years after launch:
Over 230,000 users have run 200 billion quantum circuits in total using 18 quantum computers on the IBM cloud.
IBM is the Diamond Sponsor of IQT NYC Online.
