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Maybe some HN reader who is more familiar with quantum computing can help me answer this question: how broadly applicable is quantum computing? I know that it b

Maybe some HN reader who is more familiar with quantum computing can help me answer this question: how broadly applicable is quantum computing? I know that it breaks some forms of cryptography and reduces the security of others, but aside from that I haven't heard of many practical uses for it. Is it destined to remain a niche area of computing or is it more broadly applicable than I've been led to believe?

sixdimensional 9y ago
I think "broadly applicable" is not yet something we can state definitively, because the technology itself is not broadly available. I think it would be like trying to guess if the first computer made by Alan Turing would be broadly applicable at the time it was invented - he surely thought so, yet its invention was only realized in response to code breaking during WWII. However, the applications are numerous far beyond cryptography. Quantum computing is an entirely different fundamental type of computing that accepts uncertainty at its core, which is actually quite a powerful concept in and of itself. I mean, imagine Boolean logic.. true, false... and now you have "maybe" (due to the nature of qubits)... I think that for stochastic/random processes and modeling the real world, the uncertainty can be a very powerful tool. Of course, that's just one small part of quantum computing. Here's some more info from DWave's website about applications: https://www.dwavesys.com/tutorials/background-reading-series/quantum-computing-primer https://www.dwavesys.com/tutorials/background-reading-series... I am curious if there is a link between Google Deepmind and DWave, but not sure there is one.
- sixdimensional 9y ago
  Not sure of the down vote here. I think that existing concepts such as ternary logic[1] prove the applicability of alternative (alternative to binary I mean), multi-state computing models already. So, quantum processing is a different computing model and programming model, which up until recently has been too complicated to be in reach of the public, much like the Turing machine once was. I suspect with advances in cloud computing and programming tools like this Q# language, it will bring these advanced capabilities to a wider mass and then the techology's full potential can be more fully realized. I understand the parent's question, but perhaps an actual quantum computing scientist could answer here instead of me. [1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-valued_logic https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-valued_logic
codekilla 9y ago
Quantum computing will not replace your word processor, and we don't need it for things like building websites, apps, or really most software...of course, there are potential applications in AI, but that aside it's not generally applicable in that sense. However, when it comes to scientific computing, or the development of new technologies, materials, medicines, etc...it's potential applications within those domains are likely transformative. Without going into too much detail, everything you see around you(chemicals, compounds, etc) can be broken down within the theory of QED(quantum electrodynamics) ultimately, and quantum computers can do calculations for QED/quantum chemistry much better than classical computers...so the question becomes...what can you do now that you can simulate reality much more accurately? These are likely to be the most important applications for the next 5-10-15 years.

sixdimensional 9y ago

I think "broadly applicable" is not yet something we can state definitively, because the technology itself is not broadly available. I think it would be like trying to guess if the first computer made by Alan Turing would be broadly applicable at the time it was invented - he surely thought so, yet its invention was only realized in response to code breaking during WWII. However, the applications are numerous far beyond cryptography. Quantum computing is an entirely different fundamental type of computing that accepts uncertainty at its core, which is actually quite a powerful concept in and of itself. I mean, imagine Boolean logic.. true, false... and now you have "maybe" (due to the nature of qubits)... I think that for stochastic/random processes and modeling the real world, the uncertainty can be a very powerful tool. Of course, that's just one small part of quantum computing. Here's some more info from DWave's website about applications: https://www.dwavesys.com/tutorials/background-reading-series/quantum-computing-primer https://www.dwavesys.com/tutorials/background-reading-series... I am curious if there is a link between Google Deepmind and DWave, but not sure there is one.

sixdimensional 9y ago
Not sure of the down vote here. I think that existing concepts such as ternary logic[1] prove the applicability of alternative (alternative to binary I mean), multi-state computing models already. So, quantum processing is a different computing model and programming model, which up until recently has been too complicated to be in reach of the public, much like the Turing machine once was. I suspect with advances in cloud computing and programming tools like this Q# language, it will bring these advanced capabilities to a wider mass and then the techology's full potential can be more fully realized. I understand the parent's question, but perhaps an actual quantum computing scientist could answer here instead of me. [1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-valued_logic https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-valued_logic

codekilla 9y ago

Quantum computing will not replace your word processor, and we don't need it for things like building websites, apps, or really most software...of course, there are potential applications in AI, but that aside it's not generally applicable in that sense. However, when it comes to scientific computing, or the development of new technologies, materials, medicines, etc...it's potential applications within those domains are likely transformative. Without going into too much detail, everything you see around you(chemicals, compounds, etc) can be broken down within the theory of QED(quantum electrodynamics) ultimately, and quantum computers can do calculations for QED/quantum chemistry much better than classical computers...so the question becomes...what can you do now that you can simulate reality much more accurately? These are likely to be the most important applications for the next 5-10-15 years.