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Intel Unveils 'Breakthrough' 49 Qubit Quantum Computer (extremetech.com)
Long-time Slashdot reader cold fjord writes: Extremetech reports, "At CES 2018 this week, Intel's CEO Brian Krzanich declared the company's new 49-qubit quantum computer represented a step towards "quantum supremacy." A 49 qubit system is a major advance for Intel, which just demonstrated a 17-qubit system two months ago. Intel's working with the Netherlands-based Qutech on this project, and expanding the number of qubits is key to creating quantum computers that can deliver real-world results... "Qubits are tremendously fragile," Intel wrote in October. "Any noise or unintended observation of them can cause data loss. This fragility requires them to operate at about 20 millikelvin -- 250 times colder than deep space." This is also why we won't be seeing quantum computers in anyone's house at any point."
Krzanich also thanked the industry for "coming together" to address the Meltdown and Spectre vulnerabilities. "The collaboration among so many companies to address this industry-wide issue across several different processor architectures has been truly remarkable."
Krzanich also thanked the industry for "coming together" to address the Meltdown and Spectre vulnerabilities. "The collaboration among so many companies to address this industry-wide issue across several different processor architectures has been truly remarkable."
But not one has demonstrated true quantum solutions in compute time faster than classical computing - yet. I'm not saying it is impossible, just that this feels very much like cold fusion in the 90s. We have been one year from a quantum computer for fifteen years. Before anyone jumps up and down screaming DWave, we know these are not true quantum computers, more likely magnetically paired computers. There are entire papers written about them.
Intel and IBM spark my interest because they tend to actually make real hardware and do their homework. But notice that even Intel says this test platform will not be ready until 2020 or beyond.
So here we sit for another 2-3 years to see if the claims of a true quantum computer that can (1) maintain coherence and (2) outperform a classical computer at the same task, will materialize. /me grabs popcorn.
" This is also why we won't be seeing quantum computers in anyone's house at any point."
"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."
Ken Olsen, founder of Digital Equipment Corporation, 1977
Intel’s New Chip Aims For Quantum Supremacy
. . . those 49 qbits can already do something that almost no traditional computer, even a supercomputer, can: solve a sorting problem that has up to 5.63 trillion possible outcomes. This is right around a milestone called “quantum supremacy”–the point at which a standard computer can’t even simulate a quantum machine.
The promise of a quantum computer comes from one of those spooky aspects of quantum physics, whereby each qbit can hold two (or more) values simultaneously. Each time you add a qbit, you raise two to a higher exponent value. In this case, two raised to the 49th power yields 562,949,950,000,000 variations that can be compared at once. This technique is ideal for certain types of calculations, like speculative chemistry research that simulates the interactions of dozens of electrons, around multiple atoms, at once. It’s also useful for cracking digital encryption.
much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell
Actually deep space does have temperature (2.725 K) mainly because of the cosmic microwave background. This seems to imply that 20 mK is 135 times colder than deep space.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmic_microwave_background
This article reminded me it's about time I gave my kids the talk.
Nope, you can easily simulate 30 qubits on home computer, 49 qubits, not so much. If a quantum computer has enough qubits that no classical computer could ever simulate it, then it's useful because it can do some things classical computer will never be able to do. That limit is thought to be around 50 qubits. The whole fura over quantum computers is that it can bring down computational complexity for some problems, not reduce it to zero and break all the encryption in the world, but bring it down nevertheless and it's a huge thing for some problems making the difference between computable and non-computable. Taking advantage of a quantum computer and doing something useful with it is obviously huge pain in the rear, but with this new machine by Intel we just might start hearing a few interesting successes soon.