Recently, PhD students at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology made a breakthrough in the field of Quantum Computing. They successfully simulated a 45-qubit quantum circuit; this brings closer the day when current computers will be obsolete. Is quantum computing an evolution or revolution? What will be its effects? We are looking for the most well thought out answer to this question in up to 150 words: use the comment feature below the blog and please feel free to promote your research! The winner will receive an Amazon gift certificate worth £50 and a bag full of Mendeley items; competition closes September 13, 2017.
A Revolution?
Quantum computing has been on the lips of computer scientists and computing enthusiasts for years. By utilising quantum states, it promises to liberate computing from the traditional bounds of binary processing. This means that quantum computers, theoretically, will be massively more powerful than existing machines.
The Future is Near
It still remains challenging to build a quantum computer, however; the breakthrough by the Swiss students is a momentous occasion. They’ve approached a milestone referred to as “quantum supremacy”, at which a Quantum Computer’s performance surpasses that of any current computer.
Effects?
The arrival of vastly more powerful machines could have a substantial impact on the field of artificial intelligence, certainly it will help in data processing. How will this new technology affect us? What is your view? Tell us!
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Quantum Computing Funding Opportunities
| Opportunity | Link |
|---|---|
| Ideas Lab: Practical Fully-Connected Quantum Computer Challenge | Link |
| Development of single cooper pair boxes for quantum computing and photo-detection | Link |
| Rolf Landauer and Charles H. Bennett award in quantum computing | Link |
| Development of single cooper pair boxes for quantum computing and photo-detection | Link |
| Quantum networking and processing with quantum memories and integrated components | Link |
| ORNL Quantum networking post-bachelor’s position | Link |
| PhD Studentship: Developing a trapped-ion quantum computer demonstrator device (2017) HURRY! AUGUST DEADLINE! | Link |
| Dan Hunt PhD studentship: Quantum technology for finance and other commercial applications HURRY! AUGUST DEADLINE! | Link |
| PhD Studentship: Advanced microchips for quantum technology devices HURRY! AUGUST DEADLINE! | Link |
| PhD Studentship: Developing a portable quantum sensor HURRY! AUGUST DEADLINE! | Link |
| Quantum networking -post-bachelor’s associate | Link |
References
Ward, T. (2017). Two Students Just Broke a Quantum Computing World Record. Futurism. [online] Available at: https://futurism.com/two-students-just-broke-a-quantum-computing-world-record/ [Accessed 6 Jul. 2017].
Mendeley Blog 
Revolution, as a concept itself, implies a shift in the until now set paradigm of thinking and doing. As offered now, computing runs the output scenario in either ones or zeros. Computation power per second has been increased by augmenting transistor abundance in a chip and by decreasing their size – up to 10nm in some mobile device’s chips nowadays! That’s pretty impressive! But these are still increments – evolution within the same thinking. Ironically, transistors are getting so small, that to regulate them, we actually have to take in account quantum mechanics! Differently, quantum processors function by creating a third state, in which a qubit can be either a zero or a one simultaneously. While a discrete system can only be one thing at the time, a quantum system is all things all the time. If that’s not a revolution what is? The evolution is getting them working at room temperature.
Preskill, who is 64, says he thinks he will live long enough to see quantum computers have an impact on society in the way the internet and smartphones have—although he cannot predict exactly what that impact will be. “These quantum systems kind of speak a language that digital systems don’t speak,” he says. “We know from history that we just don’t have the imagination to anticipate where new information technologies can carry us.”
by, https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/quantum-computers-compete-for-supremacy/
It´s the best answer!
Researcher Ms. Cathy O’Neil did publish an international bestseller book titled as “Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy” (2016). I am not a pessimist but it is so true that advanced algorithms governing arificial intelligence systems might be based on wrong assumptions and hidden blackspots might stimulate descructive pattern of development in a society. The users of these artificial intelligent systems might become blind for noticing decisions that increase inequality and poverty in a region. It can be stated that the emergence of these intelligent systems takes place in the context of evolutionary forces. One of the key element in this evolution process is the stimulative impact of incentives that can be controlled by an intellectual property regime. This IP-system must create balance between negative and positive externalities related to the development of quantum computing based intelligent networks (Lahti 2012).
References:
Lahti, Arto. (2012). “Innovation competition in global markets and Schumpeter’s entrepreneur” LAP Lambert Academic Publishing, Saarbrücken, Deutchland,y Figure 5: Structure Conduct Performance – Scherer and Ross model, the concept of “mobility barrier”, page 45-46.