Computers, the internet and digitization have been major driving forces of innovation over the last 50 years, but classical computing architecture has its limits.
Quantum computing is emerging as a solution to the problem of rapidly cranking up the amount of processing power we can throw at cracking particularly tricky conundrums, such as the vastly complex calculations necessary for accurately modeling the effects of medicines on humans, or predicting extreme weather events.
I’m not really here to talk about the technical differences, but just a quick primer, in case you’re not sure what I’m talking about:
While classical computers are built on binary bits that can exist in a state of on or off (one or zero), quantum computers process information as qubits, which can be zero, one or, due to the strange behavior of physics when modeled at the quantum level, both at the same time!
Difficult as this is to understand without a grounding in quantum physics, the end result is that they are capable of vastly more complex calculations than the classical computers – laptops, smartphones, workstations and data centers – we use every day.
Businesses working on tasks that could be accelerated with quantum computers have a huge opportunity in front of them. That means understanding what they’re good for in order to identify potential future use cases. So, let’s take a look.
What Quantum Computers Will Be Better At
Building machines that aren’t fixed to the rigid on/off logic is a big step towards building more accurate models of hugely complex, real, physical systems; the world around us, nature, the cosmos and the human body don’t operate in binary, after all!
This makes quantum computers superior when it comes to tackling problems involving large numbers of variables, like complex optimization problems, or computer cryptography.
These calculations are used in finance to structure investment portfolios and assess insurance risk, in logistics to determine the most efficient delivery routes, and in material science to develop new plastics and alloys.
Making better drug discoveries is also dependent on our ability to model molecules with an increasing level of fidelity. The chemical reactions and biological interactions involved at the molecular level often don’t follow the 1/0 logic.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is set to be the most transformative technology of the century, and many of the calculations used in machine learning and data analytics, such as pattern recognition, could be accelerated with quantum computing.
And another area where it’s already being predicted to have a big impact is cryptography and cybersecurity. The encryption that keeps the world’s private data safe is based on the difficulty of factoring large numbers – a task that takes classical computers an extremely long time to complete. Quantum computers, on the other hand, can crack them almost instantly, leading to fears that some methods of encryption will become obsolete and a rush to develop newer “quantum-safe” cryptography. If your business relies on keeping information secure, this is something you certainly need to be aware of now!
What Classical Computers Will Still Be Better At
Despite all the excitement around quantum computers, it’s likely that for most of us, classical computers will still be a mainstay of our day-to-day lives.
For hosting and managing email servers, running workplace and productivity software, administering databases and networks, classical computers will remain the backbone of IT infrastructure.
The increased power of quantum computing doesn’t create practical benefits when it comes to running these workloads.
Systems we have today, built around structured databases, cloud storage, and storage and retrieval of large datasets, will remain the domain of classical computers.
So, too, will the billions of low-powered commodity devices, such as the processors embedded in our cars, home appliances, civic infrastructure and industrial machinery.
Quantum computers are expensive, fragile and often need to be housed in environments where the temperature is close to absolute zero. So, for anything that involves computation on a device that sits on your desk and in your pocket, they won’t be very practical.
The Coming Quantum Revolution
To sum it up, classical computers will remain the workhorses of day-to-day business technology. Quantum computers, on the other hand, will be highly-specialized tools, designed for solving particular complex problems.
Quantum computers will not replace classical computers; they’ll work together. Thanks to AI and automation, the interface will eventually be invisible to us, with intelligent agents shifting workloads to whichever platform is the most appropriate.
If you do work in a field or industry that’s vulnerable to being disrupted by the arrival of quantum, the transformation is likely to be dramatic.
In financial services, logistics and manufacturing, as with many other industries, competition for efficiency and the cost reduction it creates is cutthroat; milliseconds matter. This means the emergence of new technology like quantum computing creates opportunities for new leaders to emerge and the status quo to be upended.
It’s time to realize that it isn’t only scientists and computer engineers who need to understand what quantum can do. Professionals, business leaders and decision-makers should be getting to grips with it, too, if they want a head-start on the competition.
