Quantum computing is emerging as a complementary technology to traditional high-performance computing rather than a wholesale replacement. Quantum systems will act as co-processors that can accelerate specific classes of problems alongside classical supercomputers, according to Kristi Beck (pictured), director of the Livermore Center for Quantum Science at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Speaking to theCUBE in an interview highlighting World Quantum Day on April 14, Beck said that while quantum systems can exploit phenomena such as superposition and entanglement to tackle certain challenges that are beyond the capacity of conventional computers, they remain highly sensitive and less reliable than conventional systems.

Beck spoke with theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s livestreaming studio, for an exclusive interview during the HPE World Quantum Day event. (* Disclosure below.)

Quantum computing: Superposition, entanglement and where it actually delivers value

Superposition is a quantum principle that allows qubits – the basic units of information in quantum computing – to exist in multiple states simultaneously, enabling parallel processing at a vast scale. Entanglement connects qubits together so they can work in unison and perform more complex calculations.

While quantum processing has significant advantages over supercomputing in some areas, it is not a full replacement, Beck notes. “If a problem is not taking advantage of the extra computational power you get from quantum, there’s no reason to use that quantum hardware,” she said, noting that results may actually be worse due to noise and cost constraints inherent in quantum models.

Quantum systems are best suited to problems involving complex interactions such as modeling neutrino behavior in stars. Classical approaches struggle in that scenario due to scaling limitations, but quantum computers can scale exponentially.

Physical challenges

Despite more than 50 years of research, mainstream adoption of quantum computers remains constrained by engineering challenges. Progress has been held back by basic physical constraints, such as qubits’ millisecond-long lifetimes and the complexity of error correction. While error correction is well understood in classical systems, quantum systems must preserve complex states across multiple qubits.

There is also no one generally accepted architecture for quantum computers. Competing approaches include superconducting, ion-based and atom-based systems. Most require qubits to be cooled to temperatures near absolute zero.

Skills are another priority. Quantum computing requires expertise in areas ranging from low-level hardware control using field-programmable gate arrays to high-level algorithm design rooted in physics. There is no high-level language for quantum programming, meaning that coding must be done at the qubit level.

Beck doesn’t expect a single dominant architecture to emerge. She and colleagues at other research labs are encouraging cross-pollination of ideas. “There’s a lot every one of these hardware platforms can learn from each other,” she said.

Commercial applications are beginning to take shape, particularly in well-understood optimization problems such as logistics. More complex cases, such as drug discovery, are further off, but can potentially yield game-changing results.

Beck and her team are working to find the “inflection point” in the field, where advances in error correction bridge the gap between theoretical algorithms and practical hardware. That could make quantum systems more accessible to a wider community of developers.

She also sees a role for artificial intelligence in simplifying programming across diverse quantum platforms and integrating quantum and classical workflows.

While large-scale quantum computers are not yet widely available, Beck expressed confidence that the technology will eventually move beyond the lab. She noted that quantum-based devices such as magnetic resonance imaging systems and lasers are already commonplace, suggesting a pathway for broader commercialization of quantum technologies in the years ahead.

Here’s the complete video interview, part of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE’s coverage of the HPE World Quantum Day event:

(* Disclosure: TheCUBE is a paid media partner for the HPE World Quantum Day event. Neither HPE, the sponsor of theCUBE’s event coverage, nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE