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Proof of concept quantum computers are here. Many companies are “quantum ready,” that is, exploring how this technology can give them a competitive advantage.
Of course, if I work for a quantum computing company, I’m going to say that getting quantum ready is a smart move. But just as we’ve seen with the likes of AI and cloud computing, forward-thinking companies are often the first to reap the benefits of such tech innovations.
But quantum computing is different. It is not just a technical innovation, it is a completely new way to perform calculations in the future.
Quantum computers work in a fundamentally different way than today’s computers. While traditional machines use ‘bits’ that are either a 0 or a 1, a quantum computer’s quantum bits (qubits) can exist in superposition and actually be a 0 and a 1 at the same time.
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This quantum quirk unlocks a huge amount of computational power, allowing us to tackle a new set of problems that would take billions of years to solve on today’s supercomputers.
As quantum computers mature, a myriad of applications will be unlocked across multiple industries, from drug discovery to financial services and climate change. And we can’t even imagine most of these use cases yet.
That is why it is also important for companies to get started with quantum computing now. Because by becoming ‘quantum ready’, the world can understand the real impact of these machines on society. And you can begin to understand and prepare for the potentially significant impact this disruptive technology will have on your business.
What is Quantum Readiness?
Quantum-ready is effectively understanding the opportunities and threats of quantum computing and learning how to use this technology to your advantage.
Quantum ready are not means you need to know everything about quantum computers or have your own machine.
Quantum readiness will look different for different organizations depending on your processes, requirements and industry.
A high-level quantum-ready framework can include the following steps:
- Learn and reach out: Get a high-level overview of where quantum is and where it’s going. Start lining up both your internal champions and quantum companies to find thinking partners that are right for you.
- Map your computational impact landscape: For many, the journey involves understanding your current math challenges. What does your problem landscape look like? Plot your math challenges against “organizational impact” and “calculation difficulties”. Are there valuable but computationally intractable challenges for your business? These problems may be suitable for quantum computers. Work with quantum experts to map this out with quantum computing capabilities. Consider reaching out to quantum computing companies to learn more about what’s possible, as well as help with this mapping exercise.
- Building Skills: Build an internal quantum capability appropriate to the company’s opportunities in this area. Or rent time on today’s small-scale machines to solve toy problems and get to grips with how these machines work.
- Be patient: Commit to the longevity of quantum computer development and reap the rewards as quantum computers become more powerful.
Once this initial exploration phase is complete, the really interesting conversations about quantum computing can begin.
Much work needs to be done between industrial end-users and quantum companies to prepare for the world of quantum computing. Crucially, this must be done in tandem with the actual development of these machines.
Get ready for the future
There’s one issue that’s particularly important to understand in order to future-proof your quantum strategy: scalability. In recent years, quantum computing companies have made headlines by growing their machines one qubit at a time.
Every step forward is important. But to unlock the commercial potential of quantum computing, we need to create a machine with millions of qubits. Today’s largest machine has 127 qubits.
So when you contact quantum computing companies, there is one question you should always ask: “can you real take me to a million qubits?” Because a “million qubit” mindset is needed in the long run to ensure you protect all investments in this technology.
It is important for companies to understand this and to partner with a company that is aligned with this ambition. Because when quantum computers are ready, so should you be.
Ilan Elson is VP of Operations at Universal quantum.
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