What is quantum computing?

What is quantum computing? Explaining the revolutionary technology that’s set to change cybersecurity forever

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PUREVPNQuantum ComputingWhat is quantum computing? Explaining the revolutionary technology that’s set to change cybersecurity forever

Imagine solving complex mathematical problems that could take the end of time in a matter of hours. That’s what the advancement of quantum computing promises us – potentially transforming industries and boosting innovation.

But what is quantum computing? Let’s break it down.

What is a quantum computer?

A quantum computer is a machine that harnesses the principles of quantum physics to solve super complex problems that classical computers aren’t able to. Quantum computers are yet to be fully developed for practical use but scientists and experts believe that we’re close to developing the first quantum computer; as close as 2023.

Quantum computing is a type of computation that uses quantum-mechanical phenomena such as superposition and entanglement to process information. A classical computer uses bits, a stream of electrical or optical pulses representing 1s or 0s, to process information. A quantum computer is based on qubits, which are quantum information units.

What is superposition?


Bits in traditional computers are either 0 or 1, meaning everything from tweets, YouTube videos, even the website you’re reading this blog on, are essentially made from these digits. Quantum computers can use qubits that can be both 0 and 1. This phenomenon is known as superposition. This enables many calculations to be performed concurrently, which is why quantum computers are so powerful.

What is entanglement?

Quantum computers also make use of an additional quantum-mechanical phenomenon known as entanglement. This means two qubits are entangled into existing as a single quantum state. Entangled qubits are linked in such a way that they can instantly share information, no matter how far apart they are. This is a phenomenon that confused Einstein as well, who according to Technology Review, famously described it as a “spooky action”. As a result of entanglement, quantum computers can perform certain computations much faster than traditional computers.


How does quantum computing work?


To put it simply, a quantum computer can perform multiple calculations all at once.

Think of it this way: Imagine locating an unlocked door in a sea of locked doors. Classical computers will be able to locate the unlocked door by checking each door one by one. This could potentially take a long time depending on the number of doors. A quantum computer, on the other hand, will be able to find the unlocked door by checking all the doors at once. According to Live Science, “Quantum computing is a new generation of technology that involves a type of computer 158 million times faster than the most sophisticated supercomputer we have in the world today.”

In fact, a single qubit can store a huge amount of information. Surprisingly, a quantum computer with just 300 qubits can store more information than there are atoms in the observable universe.

Moreover, traditional computers are limited by the laws of classical physics. Quantum computers, on the other hand, are not limited by these laws. This makes them incredibly powerful and fast.

In the near future, Quantum computers will be able to solve problems that are impossible for traditional computers. They’ll also be used to create new technologies that we can’t even imagine today.
What are the benefits of quantum computing?
Quantum computing has numerous potential applications, including searching large databases, factoring large numbers, and simulating quantum systems. Quantum computers may also be used to create new materials and drugs, as well as to solve complex optimization problems.

While quantum computing is still in its infancy, it has the potential to transform the way we process information. It is still in its early stages of development, but it is already showing promise in a few use cases.

There are many use cases of Quantum computing, some of them are mentioned below:

Machine learning is one area where quantum computing could be very useful. Machine learning algorithms frequently necessitate a large amount of computational power, which can be a challenge for traditional computers. Quantum computers, on the other hand, should be able to handle such calculations much more easily. As a result, machine learning algorithms could become faster and more accurate.

Quantum machine learning can be a completely new area for some scientists. According to research, quantum computing can speed up machine learning, analyzing tasks and big data, and more. As quantum computing is able to solve complex issues faster than any machine in the world, machine learning applications can harness its power to enhance computation and better understanding of data.

Analyzing big data is the biggest use case of a Quantum computer, which includes logistics, insurance, manufacturing, or material science. Secondly, big data is becoming increasingly important in many industries and sectors. Quantum computers could help analyze this data more effectively and efficiently. This could lead to better decision-making in many areas.

Cryptography is another area where quantum computing could be very useful. Cryptography is used to prevent unauthorized people from accessing information. Many existing cryptographic algorithms could be broken by quantum computers. This has the potential to have significant security implications for the internet and other areas where cryptography is used.

Medicine: Quantum computing can also help in Drug research, drug approval process, and the development of new medicines. Drug development sometimes involves complex simulations that need a lot of computing power. Quantum computers could make these simulations easier to interpret and bring out faster results. Considering the entire world has been dealing with a pandemic since 2020, scientists need quantum computing now more than ever to develop new drugs.

Finance: Quantum computing will have a massive impact on the way we manage finances. Many time-consuming financial calculations, such as risk analysis, need a lot of computational power. Quantum computers could make these types of calculations much faster and more accurate. This could lead to better financial decision-making by businesses and individuals.

Weather forecasting via quantum computing can provide accurate and comprehensive predictions than classical computers can. Quantum computers have the ability to process large amounts of data very quickly, making them ideal for analyzing the massive amounts of data involved in weather forecasting. Furthermore, Quantum computing can simulate particle behavior on a very small scale, which is useful for understanding atmospheric phenomena.

While the new technology will make unimaginable advances in almost every industry, how safe will it be from bad actors? Governments and experts are already working to address this looming threat. It could take a while for quantum computers to achieve their full potential, but they are on the horizon and the more we learn about them, the better.

This blog is part of a series of blogs we’re publishing on quantum-resistant encryption.

author

Sameed Ajax

date

June 20, 2023

time

9 months ago

6-Feet Tall Tech writer.

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