It may seem to you as something coming straight out of a science fiction movie, or you may have even heard the term in some TED Talks led by experts in their field. In all cases, it seemed too complex and intangible.

However, it is very much real and a hot topic in the tech world. If you ever wanted to learn more about quantum computing in the simplest way, one in which us muggles can understand, well you are at the right place!

Welcome to Quantum Computing 1.0.1 where you’ll hopefully understand the concept, how it can impact our everyday lives, and even brag about it to your friends later. 😉

What is Quantum Computing?

Quantum computing is a new type of computation that leverages the principles of quantum mechanics to process information.

In classical computing, information is stored in bits represented by a 0 or a 1.

On the other hand, quantum computing has a more fluid, non-binary identity. It uses “qubits” (quantum bits) that are based on the two fundamental concepts of superposition and entanglement.

Thanks to the first principle, a qubit can be both a 0 and a 1 at the same time. As for entanglement, it ensures that no matter how far apart they are, qubits remain connected. If one’s state changes, the other one changes instantaneously.

By understanding these principles, you can visualize how quantum computers function and their advantages over classical computers.

So, in a nutshell, quantum computers are super powerful computers that promise to find solutions rapidly to problems no regular computer might ever hope to solve.

Real-World Application of Quantum Computing

As a relatively new technology, quantum computing has the potential to revolutionize various fields:

• Cybersecurity: It can boost the security of digital information. Quantum-resistant algorithms encrypt and protect the data in a way that only the right person will have the ability to decrypt it. These encrypted data become unreadable to the general public, allowing you to upload them on the open internet safely.
  
• Advanced Automotive: Quantum computing can speed up the car system’s detection and classification of objects, cars, people, and buildings along the road, granting vehicles more autonomy and improving safety.
  
• Finance: By using quantum-based algorithms, financial institutions could more accurately assess their investments and gain a better understanding of the markets. Additionally, quantum computing could also be leveraged to optimize trading strategies, manage assets and create better financial products.
  
• Healthcare: In drug discovery, quantum computers could simulate and analyze molecular interactions at an unprecedented scale and speed, potentially leading to the discovery of new medicines. Quantum computing could also aid medical research by enabling scientists to process vast amounts of complex data in a shorter time. Quantum computing can bring about more accurate diagnoses, more personalized treatments, and better healthcare overall.
  
• Artificial Intelligence: AI is all about learning from data. The more data the algorithms can process, the better they can learn and make predictions. Combined with quantum computing and its rapid complex calculations’ performance, AI systems could be capable of solving beyond our current reach.

The main players

In the quantum realm, America and China are dominant. The US relies on its Big Tech companies, operating at the cutting edge of quantum technology.

Leading the way are Google, IBM, and Microsoft.

Over 30 key quantum companies are active in China, spanning large tech conglomerates like Alibaba to startups like TuringQ developing optical quantum computer chips. The country is planning to invest US$15 billion in quantum computing applications in the next few years.

European Union countries have also launched their own quantum initiatives, with France being one of the leaders by having a large pool of researchers in this sector and a number of companies investing in this field.

The EU has budgeted US$7.2 billion in quantum computing in the years to come.

Approaching mainstream?

Quantum technology breakthroughs continue to accelerate, with investments flowing in and startups in the quantum computing space continuing to multiply.

Although significant progress has been made, we are far from having technology in every organization, let alone in every household.

Quantum computing is set to transform our lives, with many more possible real-world applications.

In the meantime, we’ll have to satisfy ourselves with our regular computers, which are not so bad after all! 😀

The article was written by: Tamara Habensus