mod01lec01 - Quantum Computing Roadmap

Summary

In this lecture, Gari Das Gupta from IBM Research India explores the rapidly evolving field of Quantum Computing, highlighting its potential to achieve Quantum Advantage by solving problems beyond classical computers. He outlines IBM’s quantum roadmap from Falcon to Condor, emphasizing advancements in quantum volume and hardware capabilities. Key applications include drug discovery, healthcare diagnostics, and financial fraud detection. The talk underscores the importance of building skills across hardware, algorithms, and model development, leveraging tools like Qiskit and IBM Cloud. Gupta encourages participation in the quantum ecosystem, contributing to open-source projects, and preparing for transformative impacts in science, industry, and society.

Takeaways

• 😀 Quantum computing is a rapidly evolving technology with the potential to disrupt multiple industries and society at large.
• 😀 The market value of quantum computing is projected to reach $2–5 billion USD by 2024.
• 😀 Quantum Advantage is the stage where quantum computers solve real-world problems that classical supercomputers cannot.
• 😀 Key applications of quantum computing include drug discovery, healthcare diagnostics, and financial fraud detection.
• 😀 IBM has publicly shared a quantum roadmap from 2019 to 2023, highlighting the evolution of processors from Falcon to Condor.
• 😀 Quantum volume is a metric that measures the capability and error rates of a quantum computer and allows cross-architecture comparisons.
• 😀 The developer ecosystem is crucial, involving kernel developers, algorithm developers, and model developers to build on top of quantum systems.
• 😀 IBM provides cloud-based access to real quantum computers through tools like Qiskit, enabling hands-on experience for developers and students.
• 😀 Educational institutions in India, such as IIT Madras and IISc Bangalore, are actively integrating quantum computing courses to train the next generation of experts.
• 😀 The global quantum computing network includes hundreds of users, clients, partners, contributors, and active projects, emphasizing collaboration and innovation.
• 😀 Building quantum-ready skills now is essential to prepare for real-world applications when Quantum Advantage is achieved, projected around 2023.
• 😀 Open-source frameworks and cloud access democratize quantum computing, allowing developers worldwide to experiment, contribute, and innovate.

Q & A

Who is the speaker in the video and what are his roles at IBM?

The speaker is Gari Das Gupta, Director for IBM Research India and CTO for IBM India South Asia.

What is the estimated market value of quantum computing by 2024?

The estimated market value of quantum computing by 2024 is projected to reach between $2 billion and $5 billion USD.

What does the term 'Quantum Advantage' mean according to the speaker?

Quantum Advantage refers to the point at which a quantum computer can solve a real-world problem efficiently that even the most powerful classical supercomputers cannot.

Which three key use cases of quantum computing were highlighted?

1) Drug discovery and chemistry for faster molecule simulations, 2) Healthcare diagnostics for improving cancer detection, and 3) Financial services for fraud detection and risk prediction.

What is 'Quantum Volume' and why is it important?

Quantum Volume is a metric that measures the capabilities and error rates of a quantum computer, indicating the maximum size of square quantum circuits that can be executed successfully. It allows comparison across different architectures.

What is the progression of IBM’s quantum processors leading up to Condor?

The progression includes Falcon, Hummingbird, Eagle, Osprey, and finally Condor, with Condor targeting over 1,000 qubits and readiness for solving real-world use cases by 2023.

How does IBM structure the developer ecosystem for quantum computing?

The ecosystem has multiple layers: the hardware quantum systems, kernel developers creating runtimes like Qiskit, algorithm developers building pre-built libraries for domains, and model developers who create practical applications using quantum runtimes.

What opportunities does IBM highlight for students and developers interested in quantum computing?

IBM encourages early skill development in hardware, kernel, algorithm, or model development. They provide open-source tools like Qiskit, cloud access to real quantum computers, and educational initiatives at leading Indian universities.

What role does Qiskit play in IBM’s quantum computing ecosystem?

Qiskit is an open-source software development kit that allows developers to program and run experiments on real IBM quantum computers, acting as the runtime for building algorithms and models.

How large is IBM's quantum network and what kind of activities does it support?

IBM's quantum network includes 247 users, 29 quantum computers, over 130 clients and partners, more than 300 contributors to Qiskit, and over 400 scientific papers. It supports developing applications in drug discovery, finance, medical diagnostics, and other domains.

Why does the speaker compare quantum computing advancements to landing a man on the moon?

The speaker emphasizes that quantum computing represents a historic, transformative achievement in technology that requires early preparation, collaboration, and skill development, similar in scale and significance to the moon landing.