UK-based company Quantinuum, is on the verge of releasing a quantum computer that cannot be simulated by any classical computer, no matter how powerful.
Time Out – What’s a quantum computer?
A quantum computer uses the principles of quantum mechanics to perform computations. Unlike classical computers, which use bits, quantum computers use quantum bits, or qubits. Quantum computers have the potential to tackle complex problems that are currently computationally intractable for classical computers.
Quantinuum’s H1 computer has already set volume records and run error-free algorithms on logical qubits, with its successor, the H2, bringing topological qubits closer to reality.
“At some point in 2024, there will be a quantum computer that simply cannot be simulated, no matter how many GPUs or core clusters or concatenation of high-performance computers you use. It literally will not be capable of simulating,” said llyas Khan, who founded Cambridge Quantum (now Quantinuum).
Some of the areas where quantum computers are expected to excel include:
- cryptography (breaking encryption algorithms and creating more secure ones)
- optimization problems (e.g., logistics and supply chain management)
- material science (discovering new materials with desired properties)
- quantum simulations (modeling quantum systems such as molecules and materials).