Daily Archives: May 29, 2024

IQM Garnet, a 20-qubit quantum processing unit (QPU) is now available via Amazon Web Services (AWS) the first quantum computer accessible via AWS cloud in the European Union.

Finnish quantum hardware startup IQM is based outside of Helsinki, Finland. AWS previously has collaborations in place with IonQ, Oxford Quantum Circuits, QuEra, and Rigetti for its quantum cloud service known as Braket, but this will be the first AWS quantum processor hosted within the EU.

This also means that it is the first time Amazons quantum services will be accessible to end users in its AWS Europe (Stockholm) Region. It is also the first time IQMs quantum computers will be available in an on-demand structure via the cloud, and with AWS pay-as-you-go pricing.

We are very honoured to be part of the Amazon network and work together with a global tech company, Jan Goetz, co-CEO and co-founder at IQM told TNW. For IQM, this is a great opportunity to scale our offering globally and collaborate with leading end-users around the world.

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Goetz further added that the joint offering was a great step forward for cloud quantum computing, and would enable cloud users to test novel types of algorithms and use-cases to develop their business.

As most of our readers will probably know, todays noisy and error-prone quantum computers cannot really do all that much yet. However, the technology is currently advancing incredibly fast. Learning to work with it will not happen overnight.

As such a whole business model has sprung up around getting organisations and corporations quantum-ready, so that they wont be caught off guard when quantum utility arrives. Todays smaller qubit systems are also training grounds for software developers, many of whom are working on solving the issue of error correction. In the context of cloud, IQM Garnet is mostly used by quantum algorithm engineers to develop IP around quantum compilers, algorithms, and error correction schemes, Max Haeberlein, Head of Cloud at IQM told TNW. IQM Garnet offers a highly homogenous layout and has cutting-edge fidelities, allowing users to effectively expand algorithms to the full size of the chip.

At the same time, Haeberlein said, the company offers IQM Garnet at affordable rates, which is especially important for the growing quantum algorithm startup scene.

IQM, founded in 2018, is Europes leading quantum hardware developer in superconducting qubits. In the beginning of next year the company plans to add a high-fidelity IQM Radiance 54-qubit quantum computer to its portfolio.

This, according to Haeberlein, will enable users to extend quantum algorithms beyond the point where they can still be classically emulated by supercomputers. In 2026, we release IQM Radiance with 150 qubits, where we will see the first commercial algorithm applications of scale in the domain of finance, automotive, life sciences, and chemicals, he adds.

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Amazon taps Finland's IQM for its first EU quantum computing service - TNW

Nearly 5,000 patents were granted in [quantum computing] in 2022approximately 1% more than 2021. By January 2024, the United States had authorized and issued an aggregate of nearly 16,000 patents in the area of quantum technology (37% of the global total).

While artificial intelligence (AI) may occupy all the limelight from media, stock markets, large and small corporations, not to mention political figures, futurists and modernists know that the mainstreaming of quantum computing will enable the next real technology paradigm shift.

From its beginnings in the speculative musings of physicist Paul Benioff in 1980 to the groundbreaking algorithms of mathematician Peter Shor in 1994, quantum computing was a transformative discovery. However, it was not until Googles establishment of a quantum hardware lab in 2014 that the theoretical promises began to materialize into practical applications. This marked the onset of a new era, where quantum experimentation became increasingly accessible, with IBM democratizing access to prototype processors and Google achieving quantum advantage over classical supercomputers in 2019.

What is quantum computing?

It is a technology for performing computations much faster than classical computing by using quantum-mechanical phenomena. Indeed, quantum computing can theoretically provide exponential performance improvement for some applications and to potentially enable completely new territories of computing. It has applications beyond computing, including communications and sensing.

How does quantum computing work?

While digital computers store and process information using bits, which can be either 0 or 1, quantum computers use qubits (quantum bits) that differ from these traditional bits. A qubit can be either an electron or proton, and unlike traditional bits, can also exist in superposition states, be subjected to incompatible measurements (or interference), and even be entangled with other quantum bits, rendering them much more powerful.

What has delayed the obsolescence of traditional computers and blocked the dominance of quantum computers?

To build a quantum computer or other quantum information technologies, we need to produce quantum objects that can act as qubits and be harnessed and controlled in physical systems. Therein lies the challenge, but scientists are quietly making progress.

While the theoretical potential of quantum computing was identified decades ago, it has only begun to be realized in recent years. An accelerating, high-stakes arms race is afoot in the private and public sectors to build quantum processors and circuits capable of solving exponentially complex problems, and a growing number of working systems are in progress. Quantum computing will likely lead to a paradigm shift as it unlocks advancements in several scientific fields.

What has the government done about it?

The United States adopted the National Quantum Initiative Act in December 2018 for the first time, giving the United States a plan for advancing quantum technology and quantum computing. The National Quantum Initiative, or NQI, provided an umbrella under which government agencies could develop and operate programs for improving the climate for quantum science and technology in the U.S., coordinated by the National Quantum Coordination Office, or NQCO. Agencies include the National Institute of Standards and Technology or NIST, the National Science Foundation or NSF, and the Department of Energy or DOE. These agencies have combined to establish the Quantum Economic Development Consortium, or QED-C, a consortium of industrial, academic, and governmental entities. Five years later, Congress and the President adopted a rare bipartisan bill to reauthorize the NQIA to further accelerate quantum research and development economic and national security of the United States, with needed funding and support.

Most recently, on April 10, 2024, United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Representative Elise Stefanik (R-NY) introduced the Defense Quantum Acceleration Act, which would, among other provisions, establish a quantum advisor and a new center of excellence. The preeminence of quantum computing technology within national defense initiatives just got strategic. For example, quantum-encrypted information can not be secretly intercepted, because attempting to measure a quantumproperty changes it.Similarly, in the domain of navigation, while global positioning systems or GPS can be spoofed, quantumsensors can securely relay information about location. Quantum computers have the capability of processing information infinitely faster and more complex than traditional computers.

Its still early days, but the quantum realm is heating up and rapidly evolving. While they currently face challenges such as size limitations, maintenance complexities, and error susceptibility compared to classical computers, experts envision a near-term future where quantum computing outperforms classical computing for specific tasks.

What is the potential impact of quantum technology on the U.S. economy?

Digital computers have been pivotal in information processing, but quantum computers offer a paradigm shift. With the capacity to tackle intricate statistical problems beyond current computational boundaries, quantum computing is a game changer. McKinsey projects it to contribute nearly $2.0 trillion in value by 2035. The industries most likely to see the earliest economic impact from quantum computing include automotive, chemicals, financial services, and life sciences.

A McKinsey study published in April 2024 also delves into various facets of the investment landscape within the Quantum Technology (Q.T.) sector:

Technological advancements in quantum computing have accelerated in recent years, enabling solutions to exceedingly complex problems beyond the capabilities of todays most influential classical computers. Such advancements could revolutionize various sectors, such as the chemicals, life sciences, finance and mobility sectors. The industry is poised to revolutionize, with quantum computers presenting new frontiers for personalized medicine, allowing for more accurate diagnostics and targeted treatment options. In life sciences, it could accelerate drug discovery, enable personalized medicine through genomic targeting, and revolutionize pharmaceutical research and development. In financial services, it could optimize portfolio management and risk assessment, potentially creating $622 billion in value.

Agricultural advancements enabled by quantum computing could enhance crop optimization and resource efficiency, addressing food security and climate concerns. In the automotive sector, quantum computing offers avenues for optimizing R&D, supply chain management, and production processes, reducing costs, and enhancing efficiency. Similarly, quantum computing holds promise in revolutionizing chemical catalyst design, facilitating sustainable production processes, and mitigating environmental impacts.

Where is intellectual property being created in quantum technology? Nearly 5,000 patents were granted in the area in 2022, the last period for which data is available, approximately 1% more than 2021. By January 2024, the United States had authorized and issued an aggregate of nearly 16,000 patents in the area of quantum technology (37% of the global total), Japan had over 8,600 (~20%), Germany just over 7,000, China almost at 7,000 with France closely behind. More notable perhaps are the numbers of patent applications filed globally, with the United States and China neck-and-neck at 30,099 and 28,593 as of January 2024. Strangely, and its worth thinking about why, granted patents decreased for the global top 10 players in 2021 and 2022.

The European Union has the highest number and concentration of Q.T. talent, per OECD data through 2021, with 113,000 graduates in QT-relevant fields, with India at 91,000 and China at 64,000 and the United States at 55,000. The number of universities with Q.T. programs increased 8.3% to 195, while those offering masters degrees in Q.T. increased by 10% to 55.

What are the legal considerations implicated by commercial quantum technology?

Despite the endless possibilities, legal considerations are looming with the rise of commercial quantum computing. In order to embrace the potential changes brought by quantum computing, legal experts must grasp its foundational principles, capabilities, and ramifications to maneuver through regulatory landscapes, safeguarding intellectual property rights, and resolving disputes.

Cybersecurity: Data is protected by cryptography and the use of algorithms. With exponentially higher computing power, the beginning of commercial quantum computing will require quantum cryptography that cannot be hacked. From when quantum computing becomes available to hackers until quantum cryptography can achieve ubiquity, how will we keep our networks and data safe from cyber-criminals? Can quantum-resistant cryptography protect against this obvious risk?

Privacy: Commercial enterprises will need to adopt procurement policies and implement security protocols that enable compliance with the General Directive on Privacy Regulation in Europe, the China Data Protection Act, and similar legislation in the United States, such as the California Consumer Privacy Act and its progeny. Companies that form the nucleus of our infrastructure for telecommunications, energy, water, waste, health, banking, and other essential services will need extra protection. The consequences of failure are immeasurable. How will we protect the terabytes of additional personal information that quantum computers can collect, transmit, store, analyze, monetize, and use? Existing regulations do not contemplate the gargantuan amount of personal data that will be collected, and new, sensible policies will need to be contemplated and created before the technology exists.

Competition: In the first, second, and third industrial revolutions, we saw first-movers acquire dominant market positions. The public responded by developing legislation to allow the government to break up private enterprises. How will we protect the marketplace from being dominated by a first mover in commercial quantum computing to ensure that healthy competition continues to exist?

Blockchains and smart contracts: The proliferation of quantum computing capabilities should enable greater use of distributed ledgers or blockchains to automate supply chains and commercial and financial transactions. How will they be enabled and protected? Who will be responsible if they are compromised or lost?

Cloud computing: The cloud will be disrupted. Conventional, slower computers will become obsolete when quantum computers enter the data center. Who will have access to quantum cloud computing, and when? The quantum divide could replace the digital divide.

Artificial intelligence: What will happen if quantum computing enables quantum computers to use A.I. to make decisions about people and their lives? Who will be responsible if the computer makes an error, discriminates on some algorithmic bias (e.g., profiling), or makes decisions against sound public policies?

Legal system:Quantum computing will profoundly disrupt the legal system, as it imports large scale efficiencies and speeds to processes, surpassing the capabilities of human intelligence, including that of the very best lawyers. Eventually, as quantum computing is miniaturized and placed on handheld devices, we approach singularity and a paradigm shift so profound that our entire legal system may be turned on its head.

Quantum computing embodies a future with possibilities akin to the pioneering spirit of space exploration. While classical computers retain prominence for many tasks, quantum computing offers unparalleled potential to tackle complex problems on an unprecedented scale, heralding a new era of innovation and discovery that fills us with hope and optimism. However, to fully capitalize on the potential of this tremendous technology, these kinds of legal concerns must be effectively addressed.

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Here Come the Qubits? What You Should Know About the Onset of Quantum Computing - IPWatchdog.com

One of the exponential technologies that is not yet getting its fair share of love from the general public and media is Quantum computing. In the past few years, I had the privilege of spending time discussing it with people from CERN and the Fermi Lab, but my conversation with Scott Crowder, Vice President IBM Quantum Adoption and Business Development, had the right mix of theory and real-life examples, which will make anyone understand the potential of this field of research and its business applications. AI will keep its hype for a good while, as we see from its pervasive presence in every corner of the internet. Quantum can be the next big thing. This is our dialogue.

Who are you and what do you do for a living?

My name is Scott Crowder, and I run IBMs Quantum efforts to boost its adoption, together with our partners and industry clients. Our goal is to build a useful Quantum computing infrastructure and to help the world make a Quantum-safe transition, in the next ten years or so. I am an engineer by training and had worked on semi-conductors in the past, before taking on the role of CTO for IBM Systems. With Quantum, its the first time where we have a use first attitude, where we try things with partners, we teach and learn with our clients, before we scale-up projects. Its interesting and its fun.

What are the three killer use cases for Quantum, for what we know now?

Firstly, simulating nature, like materials science new materials, or chemistry, for example better battery chemistry, to mention something that is very hot right now. We do physics simulations or try to understand how complex proteins would behave. These are operations that entail higher computing power than what we could do with todays computers.

Secondly, we try to find patterns out of complex data. For example, a classification of a piece of data as fraud or not. If there is some structure in the data before us, Quantum computing is much better than classical computers to give meaning to it and even pick up things like false positives. This is extremely useful, if we want to make sense of the world.

Lastly, I would say, portfolio optimization, finding efficiencies, and distribution optimization. There are direct and huge applications here, for multiple industries. Think of the mobility or logistics markets, for example. This third use case is slightly farther out from us, in terms of time to market, when compared to the first two.

Where are we really, when it comes to Quantum adoption in the real world?

To simplify it: Quantum is better at doing what it does best, namely simulations. For sure, to do it at scale, larger systems are needed. So, we are looking at 2030 and beyond. What we are doing now is, lets say, algorithmic explorations. We work with a mix of partners: heavy industry conglomerates, banking, pharma, transportation, and startups. And, obviously, universities and research institutions.

Big Tech is also into Quantum, even though the talk of the town is AI. Intel, Microsoft, Google, AWS: all have investments and programs in Quantum, with different approaches to it.

What is the future business model of Quantum? How are you going to sell it?

Its hard to say right now. We must make some assumptions. Its probably going to continue to be, in the medium term, a cloud service, where partners have access to the Quantum capabilities we have built, via API calls, and they can interact with our experts, who help with the prototyping and the training. Basically, its going to be the same as a standard cloud business model. There will be ad hoc projects for sure, where the stakes are high, and we can unlock tremendous economic value. In a way, the approach is more like how we weave CPUs and GPUs into a compute fabric, and not via a single application per se, like a Chat GPT for Quantum.

What would you say is the number one risk associated with Quantum?

Cybersecurity is for sure the number one risk. Future, more powerful Quantum computers will crack at some point the current asymmetric cryptography, which protects public and private information, for example (mobile data, payments, medical records, etc). The math for that already exists. There are Quantum-safe cryptography solutions, but a full ecosystem of security providers and coding will need to change, to account for the Quantum shift, and to make sure we have a Quantum safe era.

Where can we find you and learn more about Quantum?

A simple search for anything related to IBM Quantum will do. I am also active on social media, like LinkedIn. IBM writes a lot of articles on Quantum. We need to talk about it publicly, and have people understand this is real, and it has great potential to bring tremendous value to society and business, across all industries. You may think this is science fiction, as its going to hit us in our next decade, but it is a new way of approaching complex problems. It could help other applications and use cases, as well, like AI, and this is why its the right moment to talk Quantum.

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The power of Quantum Computing - The Cryptonomist

If you were looking for quantum computing content, ISC 2024 was a good place to be last week there were around 20 quantum computing related sessions. QC even earned a slide in Kathy Yelicks opening keynote Beyond Exascale. Many of the quantum sessions (and, of course, others) were video-recorded and ISC has now made them freely accessble.

Not all were recorded. For example what sounded like a tantalizing BOF panel Toward Hardware Agnostic Standards in Hybrid HPC/Quantum Computing featuring Bill Gropp (NCSA, University of Illinois), Philippe Deniel (Commissariat Energie Atomique (CEA)), Mitsuhisa Sato (RIKEN), Travis Humble (ORNL), Venkatesh Kannan (Irelands High Performance Centre), and Kristel Michielsen (Julich Supercomputing Center). Was sorry to miss that.

Regardless, theres a wealth of material online and its worth looking through the ISC 2024 inventory for subjects, speakers, and companies of interest (registration may be required). Compiled below are a few QC soundbites from ISC.

Yelick, vice chancellor for research at the University of California, covered a lot of ground in her keynote examining the tension and opportunities emerging from the clash of traditional FP64 HPC and mixed-precision AI and how the commercial supply line of advanced chips is changing. Quantum computing earned a much smaller slice.

I really just have this one slide about quantum. Theres been some really exciting progress if you have been following this and things like error correction over the last year with really, significant improvements in terms of the ability to build error corrected quantum systems. On the other hand, I would say we dont yet have an integrated circuit kind of transistor model yet, right. Weve got a bunch of transistors, [i.e.] weve got a whole bunch of different kinds of qubits that you can build, [and] theres still some debate [over them].

In fact, the latest one of the latest big error correction results was actually not for the superconducting qubits, which is what a lot of the early startups were in, but for the AMO (atomic, molecular, optical) physics. So this is really looking at the fact that were not yet at a place where we can rely on this for the next generation of computing, which is not to say that we should be ignoring it. Im really interested to see how [quantum computing evolves and] also thinking about how much classical computing were going to need with quantum because thats also going to be a big challenge with quantum. [Its] very exciting, but its not replacing also general purpose kind of computing that we do for science and engineering.

Not sure if thats a glass half-full or half-empty perspective. Actually, many of the remaining sessions tackled the questions she posed, including the best way to implement hyrbid HPC-Quantum system, error correction and error mitigation, and the jostling among competing qubit types.

It was easy to sympathize (sort of) with speakers presenting at the Quantum Computing Status of Technologies session, moderated by Valeria Bartsch of Fraunhofer CFL. The speakers came from companies developing different qubit modalities and, naturally, at least a small portion of their brief talks touted their company technology.

She asked, Heres another [submitted question]. What is the most promising quantum computing technology that your company is not developing yourself? I love that one. And everybody has to answer it now. You can think for a few seconds.

Very broadly speaking neutral atom, trapped ion, and superconducting are perhaps the most advanced qubit modalities currently and each speaker presented a bit of background on their companies technology and progress. Trapped ions boast long coherence times but somewhat slower swicthing speeds. Superconducting qubits are fast, and perhaps easier to scale, but error prone. Neutral atoms also have long coherence times but have so far been mostly used for analog computing though efforts are moving quickly to implement gate-based computing. To Hayes point, Marjorana (topology) qubits would be inherently resistant to error.

Not officially part of the ISC program, Hyperion delivered its mid-year HPC market update online just before the conference. The full HPCwire coverage is here and Hyperion said it planned to put its recorded presentation and slides available on its website. Chief Quantum Analyst Bob Sorensen provided a brief QC snapshot during the update predicting the WW QC market will surpass $1 billion in 2025.

Sorensen noted, So this is a quick chart (above) that just shows the combination of the last four estimates that we made, you can see starting in 2019, all the way up to this 2023 estimate that reaches that $1.5 billion in 2026 I talked about earlier. Now my concern here is always its dangerous to project out too far. So we do tend to limit the forecast to these kinds of short ranges, simply because a nascent sector like quantum, which has so much potential, but at the same time has some significant technical hurdles to overcome [which] means that there can be an inflection point most likely though in the upward direction.

He also pointed out that a new use case, a new breakthrough in modality or algorithms, any kind of significant driver that brings more interest in and performance to quantum kick can significantly change the trajectory here on the upside.

Sorensen said, Just to give you a sense of how these vendors that we spoke to looked at algorithms, we see the big three are still the big three in mod-sim, optimization, and AI with with some interest in cybersecurity aspects, post quantum encryption kinds of research and such as well as Monte Carlo processes taking advantage of quantum stability to generate random number generator, provable random numbers to support the Monte Carlo processing.

Interesting here is that were seeing a lot more other (17%). This is the first time weve seen that. We think it is [not so much] about new algorithms, but perhaps hybrid mod-sim optimized or machine learning that feeds into the optimization process. So we think were seeing more hybrid applications emerging as people take a look at the algorithms and decide what solves the use case that they have in hand, he said.

Satoshi Matsuoka, director of RIKEN Center for Computational Science, provided a quick overview of Fugaku plans for incorporating quantum computing as well as touching on the status of the ABCI-Q project. He, of course, has been instrumental with both systems. Both efforts emphasize creating a hybrid HPC-AI-Quantum infrastructure.

The ABCI-Q infrastructure (slide below) will be a variety of quantum-inspired and actual quantum hardware. Fujitsu will supply the former systems. Currently, quantum computers based on neutral atoms, superconducting qubits, and photonics are planned. Matsuoka noted this is well-funded a few $100 million with much of the work done geared toward industry.

Rollout of the integrated quantum-HPC hybrid infrastructure at Fugaku is aimed at the 2024/25 timeframe. Its also an ambitious effort.

About the Fugaku effort, Matsuoka said, [This] project is funded by a different ministry, in which we have several real quantum computers, IBMs Heron (superconducting QPU), a Quantinuum (trapped ion qubits), and quantum simulators. So real quantum computers and simulators to be coupled with Fugaku.

The objective of the project [is to] come up with a comprehensive software stack, such that when the real quantum computers that are more useful come online, then we can move the entire infrastructure along with any of those with quantum computers along with their successors to be deployed to solve real problems. This will be one of the largest hybrid supercomputers.

The aggressive quantum-HPC integration sounds a lot like what going on in Europe. (See HPCwire coverage, Europes Race towards Quantum-HPC Integration and Quantum Advantage)

The topic of benchmarking also came up during Q&A at one session. A single metric such as the Top500 is generally not preferred. But what then, even now during the so-called NISQ (noisy intermediate-scale quantum) computing era?

One questioner said, Lets say interesting algorithms and problems. Is there anything like, and Im not talking about a top 500 list for quantum computers, like an algorithm where we can compare systems? For example, Shors algorithm. So who did it and what is the best performance or the largest numbers you were able to factorize?

Hayes (Quantinuum) said, So we havent attempted to run Shors algorithm, and interesting implementations of Shors algorithm are going to require fault tolerance to factor a number that a classical computer cant. But you know, that doesnt mean it cant be a nice benchmark to see which company can factor the largest one. I did show some data on the quantum Fourier transform. Thats a primitive in Shors algorithm. I would say that thatd be a great candidate for benchmarking the progress and fault tolerance.

More interesting benchmarks for the NISC era are things like quantum volume, and theres some other ones that can be standardized, and you can make fair comparisons. So we try to do that. You know, theyre not widely or universally adopted, but there are organizations out there trying to standardize them. Its difficult getting everybody marching in the same direction.

Corcoles (IBM) added, I think benchmarking in quantum has an entire community around it, and they have been working on it for more than a decade. I read your question as focusing on application-oriented benchmarks versus system-oriented benchmarks. There are layers of subtlety there as well. If we think about Shors algorithm, for example, there were recent works last year suggesting theres more than one way to run Shors. Depending on the architecture, you might choose one or another way.

An architecture that is faster might choose to run many circuits in parallel that can capture Shors algorithm and then do a couple of processing or architecture that that might might take more time they just want to run one single circuit with high probability measure the right action. You could compare run times, but theres probably going to be differences that add to the uncertainty of what what technology you will use, meaning that there might be a regime of factoring, where you might want to choose one aspect or another, but then your particular physical implement, he said.

Macri (QuEra) said, My point is were not yet at the point where we can really [compare systems]. You know we dont want to compete directly with our technologies. I would say that especially in for what concerns applications we need to adopt a collaborative approach. So for example, there are certain areas where these benchmarks that you mentioned are not really applicable. One of them is a quantum simulation and we have seen really a lot of fantastic results from our technology, as well as from ion traps and superconducting qubits.

It doesnt really make sense really to compare the basic features of the technologies so that, you know, we can a priori, identify what is the specific application the result that you want to achieve. I would say lets focus on advancing the technology we see. We already know that there are certain types of devices that outperform others for specific applications. And then we will, we will decide these perhaps at a later stage. But I agreed for for very complex tasks, such as quantum Fourier transform, or perhaps the Shors algorithm, but I think, to be honest, its still too preliminary [for effective system comparisons].

As noted this was a break-out year for quantum at ISC which has long had quantum sessions but not as many. Europes aggressive funding, procurements, and HPC-quantum integration efforts make it clear it does not intend to be left behind in the quantum computing land rush, with, hopefully, a gold rush to follow.

Stay tuned.

Read more from the original source:

ISC 2024 A Few Quantum Gems and Slides from a Packed QC Agenda - HPCwire