Quantum Computing is finally a reality, and Advantage Data provides expertise, capability, advice and training in this new and exciting field. The challenge in harnessing the power of Quantum Computing lies in the mathematical complexity of quantum mechanics, requiring deep mathematical and computational expertise.

Advantage Data offer advice on developing internal Quantum Computing capability, access to quantum computing resources, and development of Quantum Computing applications. We have a specific interest in data analysis and machine learning empowered by this new technology, and capabilities combining skills in advanced mathematics, physics and machine learning, and specific expertise in quantum computing and quantum programming languages.

We also provide advice on the potential for Quantum Computing in organisations considering their future technological development, and pathways to investigating the use of this new technology in various business applications.

While Quantum Computing is in its infancy, it is now real, and now is the time to position organisations to take the lead and achieve competitive advantage through this technology. This powerful, radically new form computing promises almost unimaginable speed of computation, making available hitherto-impossible applications in cryptography, optmisation and machine learning.

Real quantum computers are already implemented and available for general use. Large organisations and governments are using these, and in some cases acquiring their very own.  These are currently new and small but growing in power every month. Existing Quantum Computers are few, expensive and require sophisticated care and maintenance including freezing to near the temperature of vacuum. Nevertheless, they have been used successfully on a range of applications. New breakthroughs are achieved every few weeks as a new milestone is reached, a larger, more powerful computer is built, or a new quantum algorithm developed, or a new machine learning method developed.

Corporate investment in quantum computing is also a reality, with large companies and governments in the US and Australia and elsewhere buying hardware, expertise and experimentation with applications. Some large companies and governments have acquired their own quantum computers.  Others have partnered with quantum computing companies, large IT companies developing their own quantum computing hardware or university experimental physics departments working on quantum computing hardware.

As the power of quantum computers grows, their power to solve problems grows exponentially. Harnessing the mysterious effects of quantum mechanics, they can be described as performing “parallel computing across multiple universes” or “stealing computation from parallel universes”.  While the explanations are mind-bending, the net result is computational power that would render much of modern cryptography obsolete, and make cutting-edge data analysis instantaneous, while enabling whole new applications in finance, weather modelling and AI.

Key quantum algorithms replace existing mathematical algorithms with quantum computing alternatives. These in turn serve as building blocks to applications such as AI/machine learning, including “deep learning” neural networks, complex optmisation algorithms and cryptography.

A range of quantum simulators are available to test quantum algorithms, and actual quantum computers are also available for use, with commercial, scalable availability expected soon. Quantum programming languages including QASM, Q# and Quipper are a growing and important part of the quantum computing ecosystem, as is the growing number of quantum algorithms.

Leading countries in Quantum Computing include the United States, Australia and Canada. You can find out a bit more about how quantum computing works by reading our blog post on the topic.

Companies researching or providing quantum computing resources include IBM, Microsoft, Google, Dwave and Rigetti.