The Race to Harness Quantum Computing's Mind-Bending Power | The Future With Hannah Fry
Summary
TLDRThis video explores IBM's research into quantum computing, a technology promising breakthroughs in various fields but also posing a threat to internet security. It discusses the current quantum arms race between the US and China, the potential for quantum computers to decrypt internet communications, and the race to develop unhackable quantum networks. The video also highlights the challenges of maintaining a global lead in quantum technology amidst geopolitical tensions.
Takeaways
- 🧠 IBM's research facility is pioneering the development of quantum computers, which have the potential to revolutionize fields like material science, medicine, and fundamental physics.
- 🔒 Quantum computers could decrypt all internet communication due to their ability to solve complex calculations much faster than traditional supercomputers.
- 🏆 There is a global Quantum arms race, particularly between the United States and China, each vying for dominance in quantum technology for economic and national security reasons.
- 🌐 Quantum technology could allow for simulations at the atomic level, enabling precise design of drugs, materials, and batteries.
- 🚀 Quantum computers work differently from classical computers, using quantum bits (qubits) that can exist in multiple states simultaneously, allowing for parallel processing of vast amounts of data.
- 💰 The development of quantum technology is extremely expensive, with IBM investing billions of dollars annually into research and development.
- 🔬 Maintaining the delicate quantum state of qubits requires extreme cold, with IBM's quantum computer chip being kept just above absolute zero.
- 🌌 China has made significant investments in quantum technology, investing over $15 billion and holding more than half of all quantum technology patents.
- 🏦 The banking industry is particularly concerned about the potential for quantum computers to break encryption, leading to massive data breaches and loss of customer trust.
- 🔐 Quantum key distribution is being developed as a solution to secure data against quantum computer attacks, utilizing the principles of quantum physics to create unhackable communication.
Q & A
What is the significance of IBM's research facility in the context of the script?
-IBM's research facility is significant because it is a place where major breakthroughs in computer science have occurred and is currently involved in building quantum computers, which have the potential to revolutionize various fields such as material science, medicine, and fundamental physics.
What is a quantum computer and how does it differ from a traditional supercomputer?
-A quantum computer uses quantum bits or qubits that can exist in a state of superposition, being both 'on' and 'off' simultaneously, allowing it to perform many calculations at once. This is different from a traditional supercomputer, which uses bits that are either 'on' or 'off' and processes calculations sequentially.
What potential applications are mentioned in the script for quantum computers?
-Quantum computers have the potential to bring breakthroughs in material science, medicine, fundamental physics, and more. They can simulate molecular and atomic interactions, design drugs and materials at the atomic level, and solve complex computations much faster than traditional computers.
What is the 'dark side' of quantum computing as mentioned in the script?
-The 'dark side' refers to the potential of quantum computers to decrypt all internet communication, posing a threat to cybersecurity and national security, which could lead to a quantum arms race between major economic powers like the United States and China.
Why is quantum computing considered a game-changer for science?
-Quantum computing is considered a game-changer because it allows for simulations at the atomic level, which can lead to the design of drugs and materials with precision never before possible. It also has the potential to understand nature's evolution in time, as nature follows quantum mechanics.
What challenges are there in developing quantum computers according to the script?
-Developing quantum computers is challenging because maintaining the delicate quantum state of qubits requires extreme conditions such as extremely low temperatures. Any outside energy, including heat, can disrupt the qubits and lead to incorrect computations.
What is the current state of competition in quantum computing between the United States and China?
-The script indicates that there is a quantum arms race between the United States and China. While the US currently leads in the development of quantum computers, China is investing heavily and is fast catching up, with significant investments and a large number of research institutes dedicated to quantum technology.
How does quantum computing pose a threat to current encryption methods?
-Quantum computers can potentially crack encryption methods that rely on the difficulty of factoring large numbers, such as RSA encryption, which would take conventional computers trillions of years. Quantum computers, with their ability to run numerous calculations simultaneously, could reduce this to a matter of minutes.
What is Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) and how does it provide security against quantum computer attacks?
-Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) uses the principles of quantum mechanics to transmit encryption keys securely. It involves sending single photons through an optical fiber to form encryption keys. Any attempt to intercept the key changes the quantum state of the photon, rendering the key unusable and alerting the parties to the security breach.
What is the role of international collaboration in the development of quantum technology as discussed in the script?
-The script suggests that while there is awareness of geopolitical tensions and potential export controls, international collaboration was initially open and is still seen as important for the development of quantum technology. However, the current geopolitical situation may affect the extent of this collaboration.
What is the potential impact of quantum computing on global power dynamics according to the script?
-The script implies that the development of quantum computing could significantly impact global power dynamics, with the potential to disrupt economic growth, national security, and international relations. However, it also suggests that the benefits of quantum technology, such as understanding the universe at an atomic level, could be a boon for all of humanity.
Outlines
🧠 Introduction to Quantum Computing
The script introduces IBM's research facility, known for its groundbreaking work in quantum computing. Quantum computers are highlighted for their potential to revolutionize fields such as material science, medicine, and fundamental physics. However, there's a noted concern about their ability to decrypt all internet communication, sparking a 'Quantum arms race' between the United States and China. The narrator, Professor Hannah Fry, expresses her interest in understanding the future impact of quantum technology on international security.
🌐 Inside IBM's Quantum Lab
The script takes viewers inside IBM's research headquarters, where quantum computers are being developed. It explains the basic workings of quantum computers, contrasting them with classical computers. Quantum computers use 'qubits' that can exist in a superposition of states, allowing them to process a multitude of calculations simultaneously. This capability could solve complex problems much faster than traditional supercomputers. The script also touches on the practical difficulties of maintaining qubits and the significant investment required in quantum research.
💸 Geopolitical Implications of Quantum Technology
The script discusses the geopolitical and economic implications of quantum technology, with a focus on the competition between the US and China. It outlines the substantial investments made by both nations in quantum research and development. The US is concerned about maintaining its lead in quantum computing to protect national security and economic interests. The script also raises the issue of the potential for quantum computers to break current encryption methods, which could compromise internet security.
🛡️ Securing Data in the Quantum Era
This section of the script addresses the concerns of the banking industry regarding the security of encrypted data in the face of quantum computing advancements. It explains how current encryption methods rely on the difficulty of factoring large numbers, a task that quantum computers could potentially perform quickly. The script introduces the concept of 'quantum key distribution' as a potential solution to secure data against quantum attacks. It also discusses the efforts of companies like HSBC to test and implement quantum-resistant encryption methods.
🚀 The Future of Quantum Communications
The final paragraph discusses the potential for quantum technology to enable unhackable global communications. It describes experiments with quantum key distribution via satellites and the ambition to create a global quantum network. The script highlights the work of scientists in Singapore who are developing nano-satellites for this purpose. The potential benefits of quantum technology for scientific discovery, banking, and government are emphasized, along with the hope that the technology will benefit all of humanity rather than being a point of conflict between nations.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Quantum Computers
💡Quantum Physics
💡Superposition
💡Quantum Arms Race
💡Cryptography
💡Quantum Key Distribution (QKD)
💡Encryption
💡Quantum Supremacy
💡IBM
💡China
💡HSBC
Highlights
IBM's research facility is developing quantum computers with vast potential in various fields.
Quantum computers can solve complex problems much faster than traditional supercomputers.
Quantum bits, or qubits, allow quantum computers to perform multiple calculations simultaneously.
Quantum computing could revolutionize material science, medicine, and fundamental physics.
There is a quantum arms race between the United States and China, with significant economic and security implications.
IBM's Quantum system one is a significant breakthrough in quantum computing technology.
Quantum computers operate based on the principles of quantum physics, which differ from classical physics.
The development of quantum computers is compared to the invention of the telescope, offering new insights into the world.
Maintaining the delicate quantum state of qubits requires extremely low temperatures.
IBM plans to unlock the full potential of quantum computing by 2033.
Quantum computers could decrypt all internet communication, posing a threat to cybersecurity.
The banking industry is particularly concerned about the potential for quantum computers to breach encryption.
Quantum key distribution is a method being developed to secure data against quantum computer attacks.
China has made significant investments in quantum technology, outpacing other countries.
The US is taking steps to ensure its technological supremacy in the face of competition from China.
Singapore is working on quantum technology to build an unhackable global network.
The future of quantum technology is not just about winning a race but about benefiting all of humanity.
Transcripts
hidden amongst these snow covered Hills
is a secretive
institution home to a revolutionary
machine that can harness physics so
strange it sounds like
magic this is IBM's research facility
it's where some of the biggest
breakthroughs in the history of computer
science have happened and probably going
to be home to a few more because this is
where they build quantum
computers their potential is huge
promising breakthroughs in Material
Science medicine fundamental physics and
more but there is a dark side because
they will come with the ability to
decrypt all internet
communication experts say there is now a
Quantum arms race between the United
States and its biggest economic
rival
China I'm Professor Hannah fry
mathematician and writer I want to know
where Quantum technology will take us
and with International Security under
threat who will come out on top
[Music]
this is the research headquarters for
one of the oldest companies in Tech
IBM they've been inventing new Computing
technology here since the
1960s it's like the Jetson meets The
[Music]
Flintstones Quantum scientist Olivia
Lanes is showing me IBM's newest
experimental machine this big shiny
Behemoth is IBM Quantum system
2 sounds like it's on what is the big
deal there I mean why not just build an
ordinary supercomputer it's a totally
different avenue it's not just
supercomputers but better or AI but more
powerful it's entirely different way of
computing the big difference is the
computer's ability to harness the
mysterious ious effects of quantum
physics standard computers they
calculate by using billions of tiny
little on andof switches known as bits
now these things they're very reliable
they're very accurate and they work
together in sequence so if you ask a
standard computer to solve a maze it
will do so by checking through every
possible path one by one until it finds
a solution now depending on the size of
the maze that could take seconds or
minutes or potentially for a really big
maze even years a quantum computer on
the other hand Works a little bit
differently there the bits are known as
Quantum bits or qits and rather than
just being on or off a cubit can be held
in something called a super position
where it can be both on and off at the
same time now okay I know that that
doesn't really make a lot of sense but
unfortunately that is just how physics
Works down at the atomic level so go
with me this bizarre ability of a cubit
to be in two states at once means that a
series of cubits can solve lots of
calculations
simultaneously and so if you ask a
quantum computer to solve a maze it
means it can consider all possible routs
at once giving you the answer in an
instant it could allow a quantum
computer to complete in minutes
computation so complex that it would
take today's
supercomputers millions of years but
that's not the only reason they're a
GameChanger for science I think what it
really comes down to is that nature is
quantum mechanical when you get down to
molecular and atomic interactions nature
does not obey classical physics it's
just a very crude approximation and if
we really want to understand how nature
evolves in time we have to have a system
that obeys quantum physics so I guess
this finally gives us the opportunity to
do simulations down at the level of
atoms and when you have that I mean you
can design drugs at the level of atoms
that's right and design materials
batteries and we haven't had this before
we've never had
that I think when Quantum Computing
comes up in conversation people are
excited about it but they're excited
about the the amount of power it gives
you about how quickly you can do
computations because okay sure all of
that stuff might be true but we should
be thinking of this as though someone
has just invented the telescope and all
of a sudden we can see and understand
things at a scale that we just did not
have access to
before that's the ambition at least
quantum computers cannot yet perform
useful calculations better than a
supercomputer because in practice
getting even a handful of cubits to give
you a reliable answer is phenomenally
difficult now you got oh my
God
whoa this is IBM's lab where they test
out new hardware a place where we can
see the guts of the machine oh that
is
extraordinary this is what system to
looks like inside yeah what are we
looking at then I think a lot of of
people have a slight misconception and
they see you know this whole gold shiny
thing they think this is a quantum
computer that's actually not true this
is the quantum computer so this tiny
little thing right this is the Heron
chip this is the 133 cubits that I am
holding in the palm of my hand how much
is that worth a lot don't drop it I'm
going to try not
to the chip contains the cubits that
carry out the computation and it's fair
to say they're a little fussy we're
trying to change the energy state of the
Cubit between zero and one in a very
controlled way so any type of outside
energy that might change it slightly in
a way except for what we're trying to do
will break your algorithm and give you
the wrong
answer outside energy includes any heat
to preserve the delicate Quantum state
of the Cubit the chip must be kept
extremely cold this tangle of goldplated
pipes and wires is in fact a cooling
system that chills the chip to just
above absolute zero for comparison the
cosmic microwave background in space is
way warmer that's orders of magnitude
warmer oh my goodness so it is the
coldest thing in the known universe
which is incomprehensibly C but these
these guys like it they like it focus on
your work stop paying attention to any
of the energy around you that's right
IBM say they'll unlock quantum's full
potential by
2033 as you can imagine it's been an
expensive Endeavor do you have any idea
how much IBM will have spent on this
Quantum program uh we haven't broken out
but I think it's fair to say it's like
obviously many billions of dollars of
investment you know our company spends
close to $7 billion a year in R&D right
and today in our world of technology if
you're not investing at that scale is
very hard to be a global leader but you
do have competition right how much are
you looking over your shoulder at what
everyone else is doing oh we pay Keen
attention right to the entire ecosystem
but look we take the perspective because
we've been sort of leaders and Pioneers
of these field is that we want an
industry like we don't want to be you
know alone on this how much do you
collaborate with with other companies
though like Google and Microsoft who are
also in this space we collaborate a lot
uh externally for us collaborating on is
is like at the heart of making an
ecosystem it's back to the idea of
creating an industry do you collaborate
with Chinese companies as well no we do
not oh go on well I think we we
acknowledge the fact that in this
technology uh in Quantum right but we're
seeing it happen by the way in other
areas like semiconductors and so on
there is not only a big economic uh
Dimension but there's a big National
Security implication as well Quantum
Falls squarely Within the category of
like sensitive Technologies from from
that perspective how important is it for
the US to be the the leaders in this
it's critically important I I but and I
think that that is recognized in a
bipartisan manner one of the things
we're witnessing is that we've seen the
elevation of technology to the same
level of geostrategic importance as
trade or military alliances Quantum
Computing is without a doubt one of the
top technologies that the United States
needs to
lead for now the United States maintains
Supremacy in the development of quantum
computers but its biggest rival is fast
catching
up China are betting big they've
invested over $15 billion more than
three times any other country they have
dozens of new research institutes
committed to Quantum and hold more than
half of all patents in Quantum
technology hey hi there how you doing
security expert Anna Pugi has been
advising the US government on how not to
fall behind China really does view
Science and Technology as a National
Asset it talks about not leading not
just leading but dominating in these key
areas does the US not see science as a
National Asset as well I don't think we
have the same kind of comprehensive
strategic plan that brings together all
facets of society and really has that
longer term investment what we are
facing is it's not an even and Level
Playing Field our researchers are
essentially up against the funding of a
nation state what are we talking about
here in terms of the magnitude of
difference of funding some examples that
folks have given me is okay I have a lab
I have five to six maybe four to six
graduate students in my lab at any given
time there the equivalent Labs have you
know 50 100 graduate students or
postdocs the US is hitting back I've
made sure that the most advanced
American Technologies can't be used in
China and thanks to our chips and
science act the United States is
investing more in research and
development than ever before
whoever is the first to realize the
potential of quantum computers will
wield incredible power but it's a
double-edged sword because a world with
quantum computers could be a world
without
Secrets pretty much all internet
communication is based on scrambling it
using a secret code otherwise known as
encryption and a lot of it uses a very
clever mathematical trick involving in
prime numbers what we do you take two
prime numbers let's say 17 and 31 and
then you multiply them together to give
you a code in this case
527 now that bit is very straight
forward very easy for computers to do
that multiply numbers together what is
much harder is if you only have the long
number working out what those two secret
primes
were the only way that you can do with
classical computers is by checking
through all the prime numbers just to
see if they work one after the other
after the
other a common type of encryption RSA
uses prime numbers that are hundreds of
digits long to crack those codes it
would take a conventional computer
trillions of
years that's really the Obstacle of
encryption it's not it's impossible just
takes a really really long time this is
where Quantum Computing comes in because
quantum computers using superposition
can simultaneously run numerous
calculations at the same time and can
take something like this down to being
crackable within just a few
minutes it means that encrypted data
could be hacked in no time few are more
afraid of a mass global data breach than
the banking
industry Dr Philip inura is head of
quantum technology at
HSBC we process3 3.5 trillion pounds
worth of payments every year so
cryptography is a big deal for us how
much of a catastrophe would this be if
if people just sat back and did nothing
Well ultimately you're going to have
customers accounts being breached which
means things like identity theft and
forgent transactions being stolen money
being stolen um that's then going to
roll into Financial losses customers
will lose money the banks will lose
money but I think ultimately the biggest
risk of all is the the element of trust
if customers can't trust their Bank to
keep their um accounts and their money
secure as well as their data then it's
kind of an existential risk yeah I mean
that is a fundamental part of banking
can you be absolutely sure that this
hasn't happened already I mean okay if I
had a quantum computer I could read
everything I'm not sure I would tell
people about it no you probably wouldn't
I think it's very unlikely that anyone's
got a quantum computer powerful enough
right now to do this but there may be
something called a store now decrypt
later or harvest now decrypt later type
of attack and and this is kind of the
idea that um State actors or malicious
entities right now can start
intercepting our data and storing it and
just keeping it ready um for the time
the point in time when a
cryptographically relevant quantum
computer arrives are we talking about
National Security consent here is that
is that that ultimately where the big
worry is that's probably the the number
one area um that we should be concerned
about because um you know State actors
are most likely going to Target uh
National Security kind of infrastructure
to to scrape and the cipher information
State Secrets will be uncovered um
you'll know who all the spies are you'll
know who all the spies are if you
suddenly um lose that secrecy and that
security then it causes all sorts of
vulnerabilities on a person level on a
national level from a security
perspective from a commercial
perspective and so you know this is a
big big
deal HSBC say that doing nothing is
simply not an option the bank has been
testing a way to secure its data against
an attack from quantum
computers internet data today is sent by
laser pulses in an optical
fiber this is Dr Andrew Shields head of
quantum technology for toiba in general
fiber networks are very secure um but
they are vulnerable to um tapping if I
introduce a small band into the fiber
you can see some of the light is not
leaking out and actually a hacker can
use that they can introduce a small band
to tap out some of the light and measure
that to uh recover the data so that's
all you need then is just access to the
cable indeed it's very straightforward
Goodness Me
Andrew has built a device that utilizes
The Strange World of quantum physics to
send data in a way he claims can never
be
hacked it's called Quantum key
distribution this is it this is it yes
what this box is doing is it's sending
single photons through an optical fiber
into the BT Network and we use that to
form encryption keys and those
encryption keys are then been used to
secure data s between here and the data
center in
barkshire the device generates a secret
code using single particles of light
photons which are sent one at a time
down a fiber optic cable a fundamental
law of quantum physics is that if You
observe a photon you change its Quantum
State and that means that if an
eavesdropper tries to intercept the key
the code will be changed rendering it
unusable the device already uses Telecom
company BT's existing fiber Network to
send sensitive files across London to a
data center over 30 miles
away tell me about the information that
you're sending using this method at the
moment then so in the case of HSBC it's
financial data but we've done other
trials with hospitals for instance where
they've been sending medical scan data
um or with um governments where they've
been sending some government data do you
feel this sense of urgency from
companies then even though we're not
quite there yet with quantum computers
yes they absolutely are there's an
increasing um realization that the
quantum computer is coming how far away
do you reckon it is uh well now that's a
very difficult question um to answer if
I was a betting man maybe I would say um
5 to seven
years there are no May here it's not if
this is going to happen it's when it's
going to happen and it's the total
acceptance that when it happens our
existing communication systems are no
longer fit for purpose and that puts you
in a position where you have no
choice no choice but to find something
else that works and is
secure some have made more progress than
others in 2016 China shocked the World
by launching a satellite capable of
sending quantum Keys over far greater
distances than fiber
optics it's part of a wider quantum
network that China has built connecting
Banks government and Industry across the
country leaving other nations scrambling
to catch
up on the gleaming streets of Singapore
the quantum revolution has found fertile
ground scientists here want to build an
unhackable Network that can be
commercialized so anyone can use
it Professor Alexander Ling runs the
center for Quantum Technologies at the
National University of
Singapore a government funded group of
scientists working on all sorts of
quantum
technology they told me uh that I would
get to see some Nano satellites okay I
think this is even more Nano than I was
expecting this is over 200 times lighter
than China's Quantum satellite okay tell
me about the experiment then what's the
big aim the Big Goal over here is we
want to build a global network uh where
we can actually distribute Quantum
signals around the world we can
distribute Quantum signals using optical
fiber except that there's a distance
limit to it um we can't repeat those
Quantum signals so we we think that if
you have Satellites with optical fiber
networks uh you can actually you know
build a more comprehensive Network
around the world so then when you send
up a rocket you presumably have like a
number of days you sort of put them out
where you yes yes what we're doing in
Singapore is to test whether similar
technology can go on much smaller
satellites you can imagine that if it
works you can have a fleet of smaller
satellites that's more cost effective
and that makes the deployment of such a
system uh more likely his plan is to
fire single photons into space and Back
Again via a network of satellites and
telescopes these Quantum Keys would
provide unhackable Global
Communications so this is your fancy
Photon catcher that's right this is a
telescope that's going to receive the
signals from the
satellite long-distance communication is
just one part of Professor Ling's work
they also collaborate with us and
Chinese
companies Quantum technology was
developed in an era when international
relations was more relaxed and put it
that way you know it started in the you
know late 80s early '90s and everyone
was open to you know having an exchange
of people and ideas at that time has
that desire for collaboration continued
or has it been sort of shut down a bit
more because of the geopolitical
situation we find ourselves in I think
definitely everyone's aware that there's
tension geopolitical tensions and people
from time to time talk about export
controls and things like that everybody
you know seems to have high expectations
for when Quantum technology will deliver
you know those
benefits uh if you come in with controls
too early before a lot of the problems
are worked out you are probably going to
be pushing the know the date of
deployment the date when you see those
benefits much further into the future
I'm kind of squashing The Innovation as
it's happening that's
fine scientists understand how quantum
computers could supercharge their
discoveries Banks and governments see
the risks and the potential for economic
growth but will a high stakes duel for
Supremacy really Define the future of
global
power I think the rhetoric around this
is always framed as a Quant race right
between two giant superpowers who are
throwing everything they have at
it but I sort of don't think that this
is like races that we've had before I
don't think this is like the space race
or the nuclear arms race because I don't
think that we're in a situation where
you can only have one
winner the quantum future is about
building a scientific tool that allows
us to see and understand the
universe down at the level of atoms in a
way that we have just never had access
to
before and okay maybe I'm just being
optimistic but I think that that is
something that all of humanity will
stand to benefit from
[Music]
[Music]
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