Quantum computing is no longer conceptual, it’s real, and it’s driving innovation around the world. According to IDC, investments in innovations based on quantum computing they will reach 16.4 billion dollars in 2027. This is 11.3% of the investments registered in 2021 and suppose that the industry has already entered into a continuous drive to promote this technology that promises to be faster, more powerful and intelligent than traditional computing . But will it take CPU technology out of the game? Nothing seems to indicate it. And I’m going to review the reasons.
Quantum computing passes proof of concept. Quantum computing has the potential to address problems that even the world’s most powerful supercomputers cannot address today. The reason? Classical computing computes with transistors using bits that compute with a series of 0’s and 1’s. Bits can only hold one of two values. While in quantum computing the qubitscan be 0 and 1 at the same time.
The above property is known as overlap. Through entanglement, a pair of qubits are connected or linked. The change in the state of one qubit triggers a simultaneous and predictable change in the other qubit. By combining the quantum properties of superposition and entanglement, a quantum computer can be exponentially more powerful than classical ones and perform computations beyond the reach of today’s reliable CPUs.
Reality seems to surpass science fiction, and the truth is that it is a revolution in full swing. Right now, algorithms are being developed, computational problems are being addressed, and verticals are experimenting with quantum systems (including chemistry and biology, materials science, aeronautics and automotive, new materials development, and much more).
Companies are developing the systems, people are being trained, and use cases are being explored across multiple industries.
This is complex and exciting stuff, but, in the simplest terms, quantum computing is just another accelerator in the new wave of technological transformation. The systems of tomorrow will include quantum accelerators integrated into much of the classical equipment like the ones we have today.
Quantum hardware and classical system vendors are working together to develop quantum-inspired computing systems dedicated to solving High Performance Computing (HPC) problems. In fact, Dell has built a hybrid classical quantum system which enables customers to experiment with classical quantum computing from simulation to actual hybrid computing.
In fact, Dell Technologies and IonQ have tested a hybrid classical quantum platform leveraging our Dell EMC PowerEdge R740xd server, combined with IonQ’s Quantum Processing Unit (QPU) and simulation engine, to facilitate the integration of hybrid classical quantum solutions. .
With this platform, both quantum simulation and classical systems workloads can run on premises, while quantum workloads, such as modeling larger and more complex molecules for drug development, can be run remotely on IonQ QPUs. Additionally, the wait time for each quantum circuit to execute has been significantly reduced thanks to IonQ’s fallback API.
This integration allowed the IonQ QPU to solve more complex problems, with better bug fixes, and in less time.
A hybrid setting that will surpass science fiction. What makes quantum computing seem like a science fiction concept is that it is a new form of computing based on the motions and interactions of subatomic particles, or on macroscopic quantum phenomena.
Although this will undoubtedly end up being a game changer in the hardware industry in the near future, it is important to note that quantum computing will not replace classical computing: it will increase its capabilities in new use cases. One plausible scenario is in the integration of embedded quantum models to HPC computing environments. IDC has recently projected it and Dell’s tests with IonQ attest to its potential
The bottom line is that quantum physics works, but the machines and software that implement it are still under development. But it is an accelerated development.
And we want to make sure that CIOs and business leaders realize the importance of having a quantum-by-design strategy. and not by default (as we have advised with the cloud).
