Quantum Computing: Are we ready?

Written by Adrian Fern - Founder & CTO @Prizsm_UK; Founder & Technology Consultant @Fern_ICT

It’s been almost five years since I wrote a piece about Quantum Computing, proposing, “It’s all just ones and zeros, isn’t it?” The article examined the concept of quantum computing and its potential impact on the classical computing world. I began by saying that technology’s rate of change has increased throughout my career. However, I’ve always been able to rationalise any concern by reminding myself that it’s all just binary ones and zeros under the covers. But with quantum, it’s more complex.

The article described my understanding of the basics of quantum computing, including the differences between conventional and quantum machines. I also discussed the potential implications of quantum computing and what we should do to prepare for its advent. Now it’s time to revisit the subject and provide a brief update on where we are today and how things might evolve now that Quantum computing, once a theoretical field, is on the cusp of reality.

With new hardware and software developments, quantum computers have become faster, more powerful, and more accessible than ever. As a result, these systems can already solve problems beyond the reach of classical computers, making them potentially game-changing for industries such as finance, healthcare, and national security.

The basis of quantum computing lies in the properties of quantum mechanics. Quantum mechanics governs the behaviour of matter and energy at nanoscales. It fundamentally differs from classical mechanics, which describes the behaviour of much larger objects. In quantum mechanics, particles may exist in multiple states simultaneously, a phenomenon known as superposition. Additionally, particles can become “entangled” with one another, meaning their properties become correlated even when separated by great distances.

These properties allow quantum computers to perform calculations in parallel, meaning they can complete many calculations simultaneously. In addition, these strengths enable them to solve particular problems exponentially faster than classical computers can. For example, quantum machines can factor large numbers many times quicker than classical computers, which has significant implications for cryptography. Unfortunately, traditional encryption methods used to secure sensitive data are no longer safe enough.

As co-founder of Prizsm Technologies Limited, I firmly believe that new paradigms in data storage are essential in the post-quantum age. State actors and, eventually, lone hackers with access to quantum computers will easily decrypt even the most securely encrypted data, leaving businesses and individuals vulnerable. Prizsm’s proprietary solution provides quantum-resistant storage in the public cloud, ensuring that data remains safe and protected from future quantum threats. With the potential of quantum computing looming, investing in solutions that offer advanced protection is more critical than ever, enabling the quantum and classical computing worlds to coexist and play nicely together.

Quantum computers will radically alter computational processing as we know it, with the ability to compute answers that would take our classical machines billions of years in minutes. However, quantum computers are still in their early stages of development, and developers must overcome several challenges before they can become practical tools for solving real-world problems.

One of the biggest challenges is developing a scalable quantum computer that can perform complex computations with many qubits. Qubits, or quantum bits, are the basic units of quantum information analogous to the bits used in a classical computer. However, unlike classical bits, which can only equal 0 or 1, qubits exist in multiple states simultaneously, allowing for exponential increases in computing power. The most advanced quantum computers currently only have a handful of logical qubits.

Significant technical challenges exist in maintaining the fragile quantum state of qubits and minimising environmental interaction errors. Logical qubits, therefore, are fault-tolerant, error-correcting groups of a thousand or more physical qubits. Despite these challenges, progress in quantum computing is accelerating. Big tech companies like IBM, Google, and Microsoft are investing heavily in quantum research and development, and a growing number of startups are working on building quantum hardware and software.

In addition to developing hardware, progress is accelerating with the development of quantum algorithms and associated software tools. For example, work on quantum machine learning will enable the development of more accurate models and predictions in fields such as drug discovery and materials science. Overall, quantum computing is still very much in its infancy, but it holds tremendous promise for solving some of the most challenging problems in science, engineering, and business. As research in this field progresses, we can expect to see more breakthroughs and innovations in the future, but will we be ready?

The advent of quantum computing reminds me of the rapid rise of the Large Language Models (LLMs) that have recently taken the world by storm. Of course, we all knew that intelligent writing assistants were coming. However, their sudden arrival has left us disrupted and shocked by how the world has changed overnight! Similarly, while we have long anticipated the dawn of the quantum computing age, we seem blissfully unaware of what its impacts will mean to us.

Many “experts” are willing to guestimate the number of years to quantum (Y2Q) being between ten and fifty years, but what if a new way of harnessing quantum mechanical effects provides a simple method, for example, growing millions of qubits biologically in a lab as quickly as my grass grows? In addition, there is a consensus that room temperature quantum effects exist in many biological processes, such as photosynthesis, so lots of the engineering needed to super-cool sub-atomic particles and isolate them from the environment could be rendered redundant. A pivotal change in substrate could provide a “quantum leap” that catches us all on the back foot…

In conclusion, the potential of quantum computing is immense, but there are still significant challenges to overcome. The development of scalable hardware and software tools is essential. In addition, investing in quantum-resistant solutions to protect sensitive data from future quantum threats should be front of mind. While it’s impossible to predict the full impact of quantum computing, it’s clear that it will be transformative. Like the sudden arrival of LLMs, the world will change overnight, and we must prepare. As we progress in this field, we expect to see more breakthroughs and innovations that will revolutionise how we solve problems in science, engineering, and business.

Are you ready?