Organizations like Google, Microsoft, Intel, and governments around the world are pouring billions of dollars into quantum research and development.
With high stakes and so many major players, the arrival of full-scale quantum computers could be in our very near future. To prepare, it’s vital that local governments educate themselves on the reality of these machines, and the impacts they could have around the world.
To start, what exactly is quantum computing? According to IBM, “Quantum computing is a rapidly-emerging technology that harnesses the laws of quantum mechanics to solve problems too complex for classical computers.
Today, IBM Quantum makes real quantum hardware -- a tool scientists only began to imagine three decades ago -- available to thousands of developers. Our engineers deliver ever-more-powerful superconducting quantum processors at regular intervals, building toward the quantum computing speed and capacity necessary to change the world.
These machines are very different from the classical computers that have been around for more than half a century. Here's a primer on this transformative technology.”
There are plenty of benefits to quantum computing:
Climate Change-
Quantum computers hold the potential from an environmental perspective, and experts predict that, through quantum simulation, they will be significant in helping countries meet the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Finance and Trading-
Quantum computers could bring more expansive analytics, which can lead tofaster trading possibilities. Banks such as IBM and JPMorgan Chase have been experimenting with quantum technology to gauge the specific actions it will be capable of performing on a wide scale in the near future.
Big Pharma-
Quantum computers could enable drastic progression in drug discovery and development. Swiss pharmaceutical company, Roche, hopes that quantum simulations will speed up the development of drugs and vaccines to protect against the likes of Covid-19, influenza, cancer, and even potentially find a cure for Alzheimer’s.
Unfortunately, with quantum computing, it’s not all positive.
When thinking about new tech, security is always a concern for developers and users. Quantum computing opens up a new risk for information security. Quantum computers will have the power to break through the public-key encryption, widely relied upon today to protect information; meaning that data, no matter how secure it may be right now, could be vulnerable to future attack. That’s a pretty terrifying prospect for any organization with sensitive information to protect.
What does this all mean? It means we need to develop some sort of encryption technology on our smaller devices so not even those who hold all the world’s data can see or access it. Quantum computers work differently than traditional computers. That gives the maker of a quantum computer more control than with a conventional computer. So we must ensure that businesses, governments, and the general public is educated on the reality of quantum computers, in order to prepare for what is coming - in all aspects, the benefits and the pitfalls.
About the Author: Taylor Genter
Taylor is a Marketing Manager at Extract with experience in data analytics, graphic design, and both digital and social media marketing. She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Marketing at the University of Wisconsin- Whitewater. Taylor enjoys analyzing people’s behaviors and attitudes to find out what motivates them, and then curating better ways to communicate with them.