How Does Quantum Hardware Differ from Traditional Computing Hardware?
The last few years have seen a rise in interest across different sectors in quantum computing. You might ask, then, how does the hardware of a quantum computer differ from a traditional computer? This is a simple question with a pretty complicated answer. But it’s an important answer to understand if you’re a business leader hoping to profit from the latest wave of technological disruption.
Defining Quantum Computing and Traditional Computing
Decades have seen the traditional computing backbone maintain itself in technology. It conducts operations using classical bits that can represent either 0 or 1. These bits serve as the fundamental units of information in today’s systems, performing operations through logical procedures.
Instead, quantum computing uses quantum bits or qubits. Qubits, unlike classical bits, can exist in several states at once, thanks to the principles of superposition and entanglement. This basic distinction enables quantum computers to perform a staggering number of operations in parallel and to solve problems that are unsolvable, by today’s standards, in a reasonable amount of time.
A report by McKinsey states that quantum computing might provide the world with economic benefits in excess of $1 trillion a year by 2035. Companies are sinking considerable amounts of money into quantum technologies, with total global investment in 2023 already exceeding $1 billion. Moreover, enterprises are investigating ways to implement quantum problem-solving capabilities into business operations and decision-making.
Key Differences in Functionality
What is the distinction between quantum and traditional computing hardware? This question leads us to an examination of their respective functionalities.
- Data Processing: Conventional computers are sequential; they do one calculation after another. Quantum computers are parallel; they do many calculations at the same time. This is possible because of the fundamental nature of quantum bits, or qubits. Unlike regular bits, which can be either 0 or 1, qubits can be 0, 1, or any combination of them. These are “superpositions” of states, and they allow the quantum computer to work with a huge amount of data simultaneously.
- Classical systems have a hard time with problems that are exponentially complex. But a quantum computer can look at many different possibilities at the same time, which throws the whole problem into a new light. And when you talk about optimization problems—finding, say, the shortest route from A to B among all the paths that exist between those two points—then your chances of success with a quantum computer are vastly improved.
- Mostly, though, we still don’t know what kind of problems a quantum computer will be especially good at solving.
- Energy Use: Quantum computers promise to be energy-efficient. They exist at the extreme end of the spectrum of computing, for sure, and thus might not be good models for the kinds of systems we typically use in our homes and offices. Nevertheless, they do something awfully similar to what our laptops, desktops, and workstations do: solve complex problems. And they do it using power levels that are orders of magnitude lower than what our traditional systems consume.
- For example, Sycamore, Google’s quantum computer, finished a computation in 200 seconds that would take the world’s most powerful supercomputer about 10,000 years to complete. This example illustrates the potential for quantum supremacy—a term that describes the point at which quantum computers perform tasks that traditional computers cannot.
Hardware Composition: A Closer Look
The architecture of quantum and traditional systems demonstrates their disparities even more plainly. In classical computers, the main hardware components are the CPU, memory, and storage devices. Each is designed to work seamlessly with the others—not to mention with a fair number of peripherals—to execute the kinds of programs that do all sorts of useful (or not so useful) computations. And when I say “useful,” I mean it has some easily observable effect.
In contrast, quantum computing facilities utilize qubits, which are frequently realized using highly sophisticated superconducting circuits. Such components require not only specialized assembly but also the kinds of extraordinarily delicate and intricate systems that even the most advanced classical supercomputers do not demand. These systems must work over a large range of physical parameters at low temperatures, for instance, in order to minimize electronic noise and other disturbances that could disrupt the fragile quantum states. (Any number of these disturbances could potentially occur if the system were not chilled to superconducting temperatures. Alternatively, if the components were cooled too effectively, so that each bound electron was “frozen” in its place, oh so many more electrons would be available to carry electrical current.)
The rates of error in quantum computing hardware are still a problem to be solved. Because qubits are so susceptible to decoherence, keeping them in their quantum state is of utmost importance. To this end, many researchers are hard at work developing quantum error correction techniques that will hopefully (and probably) make our future quantum computations all the more reliable.
Applications Across Industries
When businesses look into the ways in which quantum hardware differs from traditional computing hardware, they are also finding out about its possible applications in many different areas.
- Monetary matters: Quantum computer programming can enhance precision to levels never before seen in portfolio investing, as well as in analyzing investment risks.
- Healthcare: The potential of quantum computing to bring about a revolution in drug discovery is based on its ability to simulate molecular interactions. And it does this rapidly.
- Supply chain and optimization: Companies such as Volkswagen are employing quantum computing to solve the traffic jam problem in real life. Despite the apparent simplicity of the problem statement, its resolution must take into account a multitude of variables. This makes the issue ideally suited for a system that can view it from many angles simultaneously.
In addition, sectors like artificial intelligence, telecommunications, and cybersecurity are also looking to quantum technology for its world-changing potential. This means that the shift to quantum computing will not only transform individual organizations but also industries—and in ways that are not entirely clear yet. As more organizations adopt the emerging technologies associated with quantum computing, the competitive landscape will change significantly.
The Future of Quantum Hardware and Its Impact
When we gaze into what is to come, we are left with a lingering question: in what ways does the hardware of a quantum computer differ from that of a classical computer? The payoffs in our ‘Prologue’ section are pretty stunning: for businesses across the globe, quantum computing could mean ordering-of-magnitude (10x or 100x) increases in efficiency and/or capabilities for the types of problems they solve. Of course, today’s ‘quantum advantage’ is tomorrow’s ‘classical computing baseline.’ But the promise—if you can call it that—remains compelling.
Per the IBM account, the “report” is the “Quantum Economic Impact report.” It cites that the “Quantum Impact report” says that in 2023, “quantum computing” “could generate approximately $1.2 billion in revenues across various sectors.” It has us look forward ostensibly to the period after 2023 to see how things will unfold and how revenue figures might improve. I wouldn’t recommend this method as a way to get a grip on the subject.
In addition, as quantum hardware advances, it will bring up a number of security issues. Because they could render our current encryption methods useless, quantum computers have the potential to compromise the very security of digital communication that we have come to trust. Therefore, it is of utmost importance, now and in the near future, that businesses place a high priority on adopting “quantum-safe” cryptographic techniques.
Conclusion
Understanding the difference between quantum hardware and traditional computing hardware is not merely an academic exercise. For businesses, it’s a matter of staying competitive in a fast-changing technological world. And quantum tech is moving from the lab to the marketplace. A recent Bloomberg report profiled Honeywell, which has taken several steps—investing $300 million in R&D—to evolve from a diversified industrial company into a leader in the quantum space. In June 2020, Honeywell unveiled a quantum computer with an expected performance level that it claims is 64 times more powerful than other machines. And recent developments by I.B.M. and others indicate that quantum computing will only improve. Opportunities for using this technology to innovate promise to multiply.
Firms that understand the potential of quantum computing will be better placed to take advantage of it. If they invest in education, partnerships, and strategy, they can navigate the still somewhat hazy frontier of quantum computing. And if they do these things, they will be much more likely to achieve growth and long-term success.
Explore More on us
Discover insightful blogs on our Blogging Space, check our Quantum Computing Knowldge hub, and learn more about Quantum Computing.