I spoke this morning about quantum computing at #BCTECHSummit in Vancouver, British Columbia. Here are some of the points I emphasized:
- The mainstream efforts including IBM Q are universal quantum computing systems with the eventual goal of full fault tolerance.
- However, we believe “Quantum Advantage,” where we show significant improvement over classical methods and machines, may happen in the next decade, well before fault tolerance.
- Don’t say “quantum computing will.” Say it “might.” Publish your results and your measurements.
- Since May, 2016, IBM has hosted the IBM Q Experience, the most advanced and most widely used quantum cloud service. Over 100,000 users have executed close to 9 million quantum circuits. There is no charge for using the IBM Q Experience.
- Qiskit is the most advanced open source framework for programming a quantum computer. It has components that provide high level user libraries, low level access, APIs for connecting to quantum computers and simulators, and new measurement tools for errors and performance.
- Chemistry, AI, and cross-industry techniques such as Monte Carlo replacements are the areas that show great promise for the earliest Quantum Advantage examples.
- The IBM Q Network is built around a worldwide collection of hubs, direct partnerships, academic memberships, and startups working accelerate educations and to find the earliest use cases that demonstrate Quantum Advantage.
- Last week IBM Q published “Cramming More Power Into a Quantum Device” that discussed the whole-system Quantum Volume measurement, how we have doubled this every year since 2017, and how we believe there is headroom to continue at this pace.
