We will talk more and more about qubits in the next few years. It is the basic unit of quantum computing. And if this technology, which also promises to completely transform our daily lives, seems strange and distant, we must remember that one of its most promising applications was born in Quebec.
First of all to say that it is not a question here of a general artificial intelligence – “AGI” in English –, which seems to be these days the next big frontier in the development of artificial intelligence; a form of AI that would answer everything from the climate crisis to where you left your phone lying around.
That said, the day that AI and quantum meet, if it doesn’t lead to the birth of an AGI, it still risks causing something quite spectacular.
A Canadian first
Moreover, two of the best-known Quebec researchers, Gilles Brassard and Yoshua Bengio, the first in quantum computing and the second in artificial intelligence, held a public conversation for the first time in Montreal three weeks ago.
Mr. Brassard is a researcher emeritus at the University of Montreal. In 1984, he developed with an American colleague working for IBM the first technique of quantum cryptography. Mr. Bengio, also from the University of Montreal, is an AI pioneer. Together, they were able to discuss the chemistry that exists between their fields of expertise.
This discussion took place in the context of a conference entitled Inside Quantum Technology Canada. It was the first time that part of this important series of international conferences on quantum technologies was held in Canada. It happened in Montreal. It was a success.
And that’s just the beginning.
AI and quantum?
As we know, applications like ChatGPT have rekindled public and corporate curiosity about artificial intelligence for less than a year. But it didn’t come at zero cost: the amount of computing power required to drive these generative AIs is enormous, and the energy consumed generates more than its fair share of problems.
Quantum computing is not yet ready to replace the thousands of servers that currently bring ChatGPT and its siblings to life. The technology is still in its infancy. But we are getting close. There is a long duality between Google and IBM, which leads them to outdo each other in the development of quantum computing and which, these days, brings us closer and closer to a potentially important breaking point.
Three years ago, Google said it had reached the stage of quantum supremacy. His 53-qubit quantum computer proved to be more powerful than any traditional computer. This statement has since been challenged by other researchers, including some in China, but it still prompted IBM to pick up the pace.
IBM’s quantum computer passed the 100-qubit mark in 2021 and is expected to surpass 1,000 qubits this year. The computer giant promises a quantum computer with 4000 qubits by 2025. As an indication, it is estimated that a quantum computer with a power of 100 qubits would be more efficient than all the computers on Earth.
The reason these computers have not yet taken over the planet is that they are at a very early stage of development. It should also be noted that the computer software and applications that currently exist should be completely reprogrammed to be compatible with this new technology.
Otherwise, it seems fairly certain that qubits would have been given some form of generative AI. We would probably already know if a generalist AI can really see the light of day. And we would also know if the AIs of tomorrow carry the same level of risk as a nuclear weapon…
Québécois quantum
It is not impossible that an AI like this will see the light of day in Montreal.
From one week to another, a first quantum computer from Quebec should be handed over to Calcul Québec, an organization that provides supercomputers to the community of researchers throughout the province. The device is built by Anyon Systems of Dorval and will be located in the premises of the École de technologie supérieure in Montreal.
Like the rest of Calcul Québec’s hardware, this computer will be made available to researchers wishing to test the limits of this technology. Perhaps it will again be about quantum cryptography, or even quantum communication. There is also talk of creating a first quantum network linking Sherbrooke, Montreal and Quebec.
Above all, Calcul Québec and the Transdisciplinary Institute for Quantum Information, which brings together researchers specializing in this field, hope that the start-up of this first publicly available quantum and Québec computer will attract entrepreneurs and companies who think they can also benefit from it. any benefit.
Because like many other things, the success of quantum computing will depend on its use. And if Quebec has already left its mark. Its researchers have, so to speak, put the “Qu” in “quantum”. Many — including in government — hope to be able to do it again on the commercial side, this time.
It will be quite a challenge. That said, you can’t spell “quantum technology” without using the letters Q and U twice…
A previous version of this column has been modified: it is indeed the Transdisciplinary Institute for Quantum Information and not the Interdisciplinary Institute for Quantum Information.