The Week in Quantum Computing - August 29th
Issue #102
The Week in Quantum Computing. Brought to you by Sergio Gago (@piratecto).
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Quick Recap
Last week of August. Please, read the whole summary because LOTS have happened. First, your typical news of funding and new qubits: Fujitsu announces their plans to sell quantum computers by 2023. EeroQ gets a $7.25M funding round and Baidu launches their first computer, 10 qubits first and 25 in the lab. AQT launches Pine Trap architecture based on trapped ions. And with so many devices and systems, Riverlane launches a benchmarking platforrm to measure them. BCG published a report on the geopolitical situation and how Europe could step up their game vs North America and China. The latter just activated 4 ground stations with quantum key distribution with an over the air system.
And about communications, NIST and CISA start pushing for the post quantum future. Their message: start working now even if the NIST finalist algorithms have not been confirmed yet. CISA has released a report that you can read here.
Recommended Actions for Leaders Although NIST will not publish the new post-quantum cryptographic standard until 2024, CISA urges leaders to start preparing for the migration now by following the Post-Quantum Cryptography Roadmap. Do not wait until the quantum computers are in use by our adversaries to act. Early preparations will ensure a smooth migration to the post-quantum cryptography standard once it is available. Note: Organizations should wait until the official release to implement the new standard in a production environment.
Lastly, Los Alamos has released a paper that will likely become a reference for the future. Typically we try to find quantum advantage in execution speedups. Sometimes we try with space speedups. But in this case researchers have found that the amount of training data is only equivalent to the amount of features. So far, QML had no specific advantage over classical ML, but this could turn things around. “It had been assumed that the number of parameters, or variables, would be determined by the size of a mathematical construct called a Hilbert space, which becomes exponentially large for training over large numbers of qubits”. “It is hard to imagine how vast the Hilbert space is: a space of a billion states even when you only have 30 qubits,”. “The training process for quantum AI happens inside this vast space. You might think that searching through this space would require a billion data points to guide you. But we showed you only need as many data points as the number of parameters in your model. That is often roughly equal to the number of qubits — so only about 30 data points,”.
And lastly I would like to end with a great conversation on the hype vs skepticism in quantum. It is critical to stay real on what is possible and what not, and what the possibilities are. Angela Capel writes that there are at least 15 years until a usefule quantum computer. Dr. Gourianov writes in the FT about the Quantum Computing bubble and how “greedy physicist are taking on dumb VCs to do a hit and run” and a great rebuttal on the quantum bubble. A nice and snarky thread :) (Note that Dr. Gourianov does not have a lot of tenure, publications or citations though)
Promoted - Quantum Tech is getting close, make sure you have your tickets already! I will be talking about Montecarlo simulations in quantum and its applications in finance on the 20th at 3pm!
Quantum.Tech Europe is your chance to meet the quantum community all under one roof at Twickenham Stadium, London on 19th – 21st September. The focus of the show will be GLOBAL with case studies coming from multinational enterprises from the key centres of quantum innovation including Tokyo, California, Munich, Madrid, Paris, Riyadh, and Natal.
By attending, you’ll hear from the quantum elite who have already confirmed their attendance at Quantum.Tech Europe this September including Bhushan Bonde, Head of Innovation for In-silico R&D, Drug discovery at Evotec, Sir Peter Knight, Emiretus professor at Imperial College and Jalal Mapar, Sr Advisor for Emerging Technologies Department of Homeland Security, Science and Technology Directorate. You can view the full agenda here.
The Quantum Pirate will participate in a panel on Quantum Computing for Finance. It will be great to meet you in person if you are attending!
The Week in Quantum Computing
Why Quantum Computing Is Even More Dangerous Than Artificial Intelligence
Today’s artificial intelligence is as self-aware as a paper clip. Despite the hype—such as a Google engineer’s bizarre claim that his company’s AI system had “come to life” and Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s tweet predicting that computers will have human intelligence by 2029—the technology still fails at simple everyday tasks. That includes driving vehicles, especially when confronted by unexpected circumstances that require even the tiniest shred of human intuition or thinking.
Link: https://ift.tt/ykuTd39
August 22, 2022 at 07:30AM
Will quantum supply chains fall victim to geopolitics?
According to a conservative estimate by McKinsey, quantum technologies - technologies that are engineered using the principles of quantum mechanics - have attracted US$31 billion (S$43 billion) in announced funding since 2001, and US$1.9 billion in the second half of 2021 alone.
Link: https://ift.tt/Otpdxhs
August 22, 2022 at 10:30AM
Benchmarking: a quantum-computing building block
However promising, today’s quantum computers are nevertheless still in their infancy, unable yet to handle high-complexity problems. As with rearing a child, it takes a whole ‘village’ to raise a quantum computer – an entire community of quantum hardware and software experts, mathematicians, electronic engineers, quantum physicists and quantum chemists, to name just a few. […]
Link: https://ift.tt/7areDAk
August 22, 2022 at 05:30PM
Fujitsu to Start Selling Quantum Computers in 2023
Fujitsu has teamed up with scientific research institute Riken to become the first Japanese company to sell quantum computers starting next year.
Link: https://ift.tt/3BN2ROX
August 23, 2022 at 07:30AM
Out-of-the-box integration of a fully functionable, table-top size quantum processor into your system.
The PINE SET-UP is an assembly based on a modular approach. The heart of the set-up is our quantum processor unit, AQT’s PINE TRAP, a high-precision ion trap building upon the well tested design of the University of Innsbruck and the Institute of Quantum Optics and Quantum Information (IQOQI).
Link: https://ift.tt/vRoqSLC
August 23, 2022 at 08:30AM
Fixed-point oblivious quantum amplitude-amplification algorithm
The quantum amplitude amplification algorithms based on Grovers rotation operator need to perform phase flips for both the initial state and the target state.
Link: https://ift.tt/LqMUmZo
August 23, 2022 at 11:30AM
Generalization in quantum machine learning from few training data
Modern quantum machine learning (QML) methods involve variationally optimizing a parameterized quantum circuit on a training data set, and subsequently making predictions on a testing data set (i.e., generalizing).
Link: https://ift.tt/gRqncOY
August 24, 2022 at 07:30AM
EeroQ Raises $7.25M in Funding Led by B Capital’s Ascent Fund to Build Scalable Quantum Computer With Ethical Focus
CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--EeroQ, a quantum computer (QC) chip design company, today announced its first round of institutional funding after five years of R&D, a $7.25M Seed Round led by multi-stage investment firm B Capital’s Ascent Fund, with participation from V Capital, Calibrate Ventures, Alumni Ventures, Unbound Ventures, and Red Cedar Ventures. B Capital Chair Dr. Howard Morgan and Senior Principal Morgan Polotan are joining the board.
Link: https://ift.tt/IytZlva
August 24, 2022 at 07:30AM
Researchers demonstrate successful quantum key distribution between space lab and four ground stations
Researchers report an experimental demonstration of a space-to-ground quantum key distribution (QKD) network using a compact QKD terminal aboard the Chinese Space Lab Tiangong-2 and four ground stations.
Link: https://ift.tt/09YLqCR
August 24, 2022 at 07:30AM
QpiAI Announces AI Enabled QpiAISense™ Platform for Worldwide Deployment for Controlling Superconducting, Spin and Ion-Trap Qubits
QpiAI, a leader in quantum computing and AI today announced QpiAISense™ platform for room temperature qubit control. QpiAISense™ accelerates ML library using discrete FPGA DSPs currently.
Link: https://ift.tt/a6Rh0MW
August 24, 2022 at 09:30AM
Quantum Catalyzer (Q-Cat) expands with state-of-the-art lab and office space in U of Maryland Discovery District
COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND, UNITED STATES, August 24, 2022 /EINPresswire.
Link: https://ift.tt/4Hrm6Vh
August 24, 2022 at 06:30PM
Quantum AI breakthrough: theorem shrinks appetite for training data
Training a quantum neural network requires only a small amount of data, according to a new proof that upends previous assumptions stemming from classical computing’s huge appetite for data in machine learning, or artificial intelligence.
Link: https://ift.tt/HtQWL8o
August 24, 2022 at 10:30PM
SIMULATION IN QUANTUM COMPUTING IS PUTTING DEEPMIND RESEARCHERS AT DISGRACE
In what seems to be a feud between two opinion groups, the quantum simulation might have opened the doors for a debate on how far AI can generate accurate results, given the scale of calculations it involves requiring millions of predictions that are beyond human comprehension. Recently, Deepmind, Alphabet’s AI subsidiary, released a paper,” Pushing the frontiers of density functionals by solving the fractional electron problem”, concluding with the possibility of simulations at the quantum scale. Eight months later, a batch of Russian and South Korean researchers expressed their apprehension that the conclusion the paper arrived at may be wrong, putting the entire Deepmind’s theory in disgrace.
Link: https://ift.tt/wTWRZ4K
August 24, 2022 at 11:30PM
US Government: Stop Dickering and Prepare for Post-Quantum Encryption Now
If you're wondering when your company should start taking seriously the security problems that quantum computers pose, the answer is now, the US government says.
Link: https://ift.tt/AzMIfZ0
August 25, 2022 at 07:30AM
Ángela Capel, mathematician: “There are at least 15 years left to have a truly useful quantum computer”
Quantum physics was a world to be discovered until, a century ago, the first colones. Now we are in the phase of exploration and conquest of that territory, where computing is a Dorado, one of the most promising spaces for its future applications.
Link: https://ift.tt/mEXOkNM
August 25, 2022 at 10:30AM
Can Europe Catch Up with the US (and China) in Quantum Computing?
Quantum computing is close to becoming a reality. The technology will deliver enormous benefits to business, but it will also pose major challenges to governments and companies because hackers will be able to use it to break into any conventional government, business, or military network.
Link: https://ift.tt/WMlnvoV
August 25, 2022 at 10:30AM
China's Baidu reveals its first quantum computer called Qianshi
BEIJING, Aug 25 (Reuters) - Chinese search engine giant Baidu Inc revealed its first quantum computer on Thursday and is ready to make it available to external users, joining the global race to apply the technology to practical uses.
Link: https://ift.tt/yMf9mZY
August 25, 2022 at 03:30PM
Scientists says greedy physicists have overhyped quantum tech
Tristan is a futurist covering human-centric artificial intelligence advances, quantum computing, STEM, physics, and space stuff.
Link: https://ift.tt/2DIlRqp
August 27, 2022 at 12:35PM
The quantum computing bubble
Gain a global perspective on the US and go beyond with curated news and analysis from 600 journalists in 50+ countries covering politics, business, innovation, trends and more. Check if your university has an FT membership to read for free.
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August 27, 2022 at 12:35PM
Thanks for the steady flow of great information on Quantum Computing