Techcrunch Story Predicts Quantum Computing Will Guide AI

A recent story that serves as a primer on quantum computing had a hopeful conclusion: quantum computing will make AI work in ways we can’t yet imagine, if access remains open for researchers. The author, William Hurley, imagines a world in which the merging of the two sciences create something that benefits humanity far beyond classical computing and deep learning to “humanize” computers.

Quantum computers will be useful in advancing solutions to challenges in diverse fields such as energy, finance, healthcare and aerospace, among others. Their capabilities will help us cure diseases, improve global financial markets, detangle traffic, combat climate change and more. For instance, quantum computing has the potential to speed up pharmaceutical discovery and development, and to improve the accuracy of the atmospheric models used to track and explain climate change and its adverse effects.

Intel’s 17-qubit superconducting test chip for quantum computing has unique features for improved connectivity and better electrical and thermo-mechanical performance. (Intel Corporation)

Hurley notes that the United States leads all other countries in quantum-related patents (295), with the second closest country being Canada at just 79. That surge is partially due to concerns about security and for competitive reasons. Hurley, however, says he thinks the real value in quantum computing will be through open-source, collaborative research.

“I’m confident crowd-sourcing quantum computing applications for the greater good will win,” Hurley writes.

Already, companies like IBM and Google are democratizing access to quantum computing applications. Along with government and universities, start-ups are in the quantum research arena, including Rigetti Computing, D-Wave Systems, 1Qbit Information Technologies, Inc., Quantum Circuits, Inc., QC Ware, Zapata Computing, Inc.

read more at techcrunch.com