Category Archives: Quantum Computing

Qubits are notoriously prone to failure but building them from a single laser pulse may change this – Livescience.com

Scientists have created an error-free quantum bit, or qubit, from a single pulse of light, raising hopes for a light-based room-temperature quantum computer in the future.

While bits in classical computers store information as either 1 or 0, qubits in quantum computers can encode information as a superposition of 1 and 0, meaning one qubit can adopt both states simultaneously.

When quantum computers have millions of qubits in the future, they will process calculations in a fraction of the time that today's most powerful supercomputers can. But the most powerful quantum computers so far have only been built with roughly 1,000 qubits.

Most qubits are made from a superconducting metal, but these need to be cooled to near absolute zero to achieve stability for the laws of quantum mechanics to dominate. Qubits are also highly prone to failure, and if a qubit fails during a computation, the data it stores is lost, and a calculation is delayed.

One way to solve this problem is to stitch multiple qubits together using quantum entanglement, an effect Albert Einstein famously referred to as "spooky action at a distance. By connecting them intrinsically through space and time so they share a single quantum state, scientists can form one "logical qubit," storing the same information in all of the constituent physical qubits. If one or more physical qubits fails, the calculation can continue because the information is stored elsewhere.

Related: How could this new type of room-temperature qubit usher in the next phase of quantum computing?

But you need many physical qubits to create one logical qubit. Quantum computing company QuEra and researchers at Harvard, for example, recently demonstrated a breakthrough in quantum error correction using logical qubits, publishing their findings Dec. 6, 2023, in the journal Nature. This will lead to the launch of a quantum computer with 10 logical qubits later this year but it will be made using 256 physical qubits.

For that reason, researchers are looking at alternative ways to create qubits and have previously demonstrated that you can create a physical qubit from a single photon (particle of light). This can also operate at room temperature because it doesn't rely on the conventional way to make qubits, using superconducting metals that need to be cooled. But single physical photonic qubits are still prone to failure.

In a study published in August 2023 in the journal Nature, scientists showed that you can successfully entangle multiple photonic qubits. Building on this research, the same team has now demonstrated that you can create a de facto logical qubit which has an inherent capacity for error correction using a single laser pulse that contains multiple photons entangled by nature. They published their findings Jan. 18 in the journal Science.

"Our laser pulse was converted to a quantum optical state that gives us an inherent capacity to correct errors," Peter van Loock, a professor of theoretical quantum optics at Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz in Germany and co-author of the Dec. 6 study, said in a statement. "Although the system consists only of a laser pulse and is thus very small, it can in principle eradicate errors immediately."

Based on their results, there's no need to create individual photons as qubits from different light pulses and entangle them afterward. You would need just one light pulse to create a "robust logical qubit," van Loock added.

Although the results are promising, the logical qubit they created experimentally wasn't good enough to achieve the error-correction levels needed to perform as a logical qubit in a real quantum computer. Rather, the scientists said this work shows you can transform a non-correctable qubit into a correctable qubit using photonic methods.

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Qubits are notoriously prone to failure but building them from a single laser pulse may change this - Livescience.com

Quantum Computing Breakthrough: New Fusion of Materials Has All the Components Required for a Unique Type of … – SciTechDaily

Researchers at Penn State have introduced a groundbreaking material fusion that enables a new form of superconductivity, crucial for advancing quantum computing and exploring the theoretical chiral Majorana particles. Their study demonstrates how combining magnetic materials can lead to emergent superconductivity, marking a significant leap in creating chiral topological superconductors and potentially unlocking new avenues in quantum computing research.

A new fusion of materials, each with special electrical properties, has all the components required for a unique type of superconductivity that could provide the basis for more robust quantum computing. The new combination of materials, created by a team led by researchers at Penn State, could also provide a platform to explore physical behaviors similar to those of mysterious, theoretical particles known as chiral Majoranas, which could be another promising component for quantum computing.

The new study was recently published in the journal Science. The work describes how the researchers combined the two magnetic materials in what they called a critical step toward realizing the emergent interfacial superconductivity, which they are currently working toward.

Superconductors materials with no electrical resistance are widely used in digital circuits, the powerful magnets in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and particle accelerators, and other technology where maximizing the flow of electricity is crucial. When superconductors are combined with materials called magnetic topological insulators thin films only a few atoms thick that have been made magnetic and restrict the movement of electrons to their edges the novel electrical properties of each component work together to produce chiral topological superconductors. The topology, or specialized geometries and symmetries of matter, generates unique electrical phenomena in the superconductor, which could facilitate the construction of topological quantum computers.

Quantum computers have the potential to perform complex calculations in a fraction of the time it takes traditional computers because, unlike traditional computers which store data as a one or a zero, the quantum bits of quantum computers store data simultaneously in a range of possible states. Topological quantum computers further improve upon quantum computing by taking advantage of how electrical properties are organized to make the computers robust to decoherence, or the loss of information that happens when a quantum system is not perfectly isolated.

Creating chiral topological superconductors is an important step toward topological quantum computation that could be scaled up for broad use, said Cui-Zu Chang, Henry W. Knerr Early Career Professor and associate professor of physics at Penn State and co-corresponding author of the paper. Chiral topological superconductivity requires three ingredients: superconductivity, ferromagnetism, and a property called topological order. In this study, we produced a system with all three of these properties.

The researchers used a technique called molecular beam epitaxy to stack together a topological insulator that has been made magnetic and an iron chalcogenide (FeTe), a promising transition metal for harnessing superconductivity. The topological insulator is a ferromagnet a type of magnet whose electrons spin the same way while FeTe is an antiferromagnet, whose electrons spin in alternating directions. The researchers used a variety of imaging techniques and other methods to characterize the structure and electrical properties of the resulting combined material and confirmed the presence of all three critical components of chiral topological superconductivity at the interface between the materials.

Prior work in the field has focused on combining superconductors and nonmagnetic topological insulators. According to the researchers, adding in the ferromagnet has been particularly challenging.

Normally, superconductivity and ferromagnetism compete with each other, so it is rare to find robust superconductivity in a ferromagnetic material system, said Chao-Xing Liu, professor of physics at Penn State and co-corresponding author of the paper. But the superconductivity in this system is actually very robust against the ferromagnetism. You would need a very strong magnetic field to remove the superconductivity.

The research team is still exploring why superconductivity and ferromagnetism coexist in this system.

Its actually quite interesting because we have two magnetic materials that are non-superconducting, but we put them together and the interface between these two compounds produces very robust superconductivity, Chang said. Iron chalcogenide is antiferromagnetic, and we anticipate its antiferromagnetic property is weakened around the interface to give rise to the emergent superconductivity, but we need more experiments and theoretical work to verify if this is true and to clarify the superconducting mechanism.

The researchers said they believe this system will be useful in the search for material systems that exhibit similar behaviors as Majorana particles theoretical subatomic particles first hypothesized in 1937. Majorana particles act as their own antiparticle, a unique property that could potentially allow them to be used as quantum bits in quantum computers.

Providing experimental evidence for the existence of chiral Majorana will be a critical step in the creation of a topological quantum computer, Chang said. Our field has had a rocky past in trying to find these elusive particles, but we think this is a promising platform for exploring Majorana physics.

Reference: Interface-induced superconductivity in magnetic topological insulators by Hemian Yi, Yi-Fan Zhao, Ying-Ting Chan, Jiaqi Cai, Ruobing Mei, Xianxin Wu, Zi-Jie Yan, Ling-Jie Zhou, Ruoxi Zhang, Zihao Wang, Stephen Paolini, Run Xiao, Ke Wang, Anthony R. Richardella, John Singleton, Laurel E. Winter, Thomas Prokscha, Zaher Salman, Andreas Suter, Purnima P. Balakrishnan, Alexander J. Grutter, Moses H. W. Chan, Nitin Samarth, Xiaodong Xu, Weida Wu, Chao-Xing Liu and Cui-Zu Chang, 8 February 2024, Science. DOI: 10.1126/science.adk1270

In addition to Chang and Liu, the research team at Penn State at the time of the research included postdoctoral researcher Hemian Yi; graduate students Yi-Fan Zhao, Ruobing Mei, Zi-Jie Yan, Ling-Jie Zhou, Ruoxi Zhang, Zihao Wang, Stephen Paolini and Run Xiao; assistant research professors in the Materials Research Institute Ke Wang and Anthony Richardella; Evan Pugh University Professor Emeritus of Physics Moses Chan; and Verne M. Willaman Professor of Physics and Professor of Materials Science and Engineering Nitin Samarth. The research team also includes Ying-Ting Chan and Weida Wu at Rutgers University; Jiaqi Cai and Xiaodong Xu at the University of Washington; Xianxin Wu at the Chinese Academy of Sciences; John Singleton and Laurel Winter at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory; Purnima Balakrishnan and Alexander Grutter at the National Institute of Standards and Technology; and Thomas Prokscha, Zaher Salman, and Andreas Suter at the Paul Scherrer Institute of Switzerland.

This research is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy. Additional support was provided by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), the NSF-funded Materials Research Science and Engineering Center for Nanoscale Science at Penn State, the Army Research Office, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the state of Florida and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundations EPiQS Initiative.

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Quantum Computing Breakthrough: New Fusion of Materials Has All the Components Required for a Unique Type of ... - SciTechDaily

Government of Canada Supports Xanadu to Accelerate Quantum Computing Research and Education – HPCwire

TORONTO, Feb. 23, 2024 Xanadu, a world leader in photonic quantum computing, received a repayable contribution from the Government of Canada, through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), to help companies advance and commercialize their quantum products.

This funding, through the Regional Quantum Initiative (RQI), will accelerate the development of PennyLane, Xanadus open-source, cloud-based software framework for quantum machine learning, quantum chemistry, and quantum computing.

Southern Ontario is well-positioned for quantum breakthroughs because we are home to world-leading research centers and high-potential quantum companies, like the ones we are celebrating today. Businesses in this sector are creating incredible technologies and our government is providing support so they can bring them to market faster, advancing Canadas role as a world leader in quantum technologies, said the Hon. Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.

With todays announcement, our government is strengthening Canadas position in quantum technology and helping to boost economic growth and create good jobs for Canadians. Through these investments, we will continue to build this sector and support made-in-Canada technologies that will have a major impact on industries like computing, communications, security and health care, said Bryan May, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Small Business and to the Minister responsible for FedDev Ontario.

Viable applications of quantum computers are contingent upon achieving fault-tolerant quantum computation (FTQC). Great strides have been made in the field, and to continue the development of quantum computing technologies and ensure FTQC is achieved, the future quantum workforce must be well-trained.

Since 2016, Xanadu has been on a mission to make quantum computers useful and available to people everywhere. One key for that mission is accessibility to top-tier quantum education that will help build the future quantum workforce. To support this goal, Xanadu has worked with numerous universities across Canada and the world to create custom educational programs and has established a dedicated quantum community team that runs educational events, creates free educational materials, and engages directly with the community.

As a budget commitment in 2021, the Government of Canada launched its National Quantum Strategy in January 2023, which is underpinned by three pillars: research, talent, and commercialization. FedDev Ontario is one of the regional development agencies focused on supporting high-potential quantum projects and scaling promising Canadian companies.

Through RQI, Xanadu is receiving a repayable investment of $3.75 million to accelerate its core quantum software, PennyLane. This funding will create 22 new quantum jobs, further strengthening Canadas quantum workforce. The objectives of this project include advancing the operating infrastructure to provide a broader cloud offering, as well as increasing community support and creating more user engagement materials.

We are thrilled to receive this FedDev Ontario support to advance our quantum technology, build a larger quantum community, and further strengthen Canadas position as a global quantum leader, said Christian Weedbrook, Xanadu Founder and CEO.

About Xanadu

Xanadu is a quantum computing company with the mission to build quantum computers that are useful and available to people everywhere. Founded in 2016, Xanadu has become one of the worlds leading quantum hardware and software companies. The company also leads the development of PennyLane, an open-source software library for quantum computing and application development.

Source: Xanadu

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Government of Canada Supports Xanadu to Accelerate Quantum Computing Research and Education - HPCwire

Apple is already defending iMessage against tomorrow’s quantum computing attacks – The Verge

Apples security team claims to have achieved a breakthrough that advances the state of the art of end-to-end messaging. With the upcoming release of iOS 17.4, iPadOS 17.4, macOS 14.4, and watchOS 10.4, the company is bringing a new cryptographic protocol called PQ3 to iMessage that it purports to offer even more robust encryption and defenses against sophisticated quantum computing attacks.

Such attacks arent yet a broad threat today, but Apple is preparing for a future where bad actors try to unwind current encryption standards and iMessages security layers with the help of massively powerful computers. Such scenarios could start playing out by the end of the decade, but experts agree that the tech industry need to start defending against them well in advance.

PQ3 is the first messaging protocol to reach what we call Level 3 security providing protocol protections that surpass those in all other widely deployed messaging apps, the security team wrote. Yes, Apple came up with its own ranking system for messaging service security, and iMessage now stands alone at the top thanks to these latest PQ3 advancements.

In the companys view, theyre enough to put Apples service above Signal, which itself recently rolled out more sophisticated security defenses. (For reference, the current version of iMessage ranks as level 1 alongside WhatsApp, Viber, Line, and the older version of Signal.) More than simply replacing an existing algorithm with a new one, we rebuilt the iMessage cryptographic protocol from the ground up to advance the state of the art in end-to-end encryption, Apple wrote.

Apple says that hackers can stow away any encrypted data they obtain today in hopes of being able to break through in several years once quantum computers become a realistic attack vector:

Although quantum computers with this capability dont exist yet, extremely well-resourced attackers can already prepare for their possible arrival by taking advantage of the steep decrease in modern data storage costs. The premise is simple: such attackers can collect large amounts of todays encrypted data and file it all away for future reference. Even though they cant decrypt any of this data today, they can retain it until they acquire a quantum computer that can decrypt it in the future, an attack scenario known asHarvest Now, Decrypt Later.

You can read all the nitty-gritty details on PQ3 in Apples blog post, which is a great example of the companys focus on protecting user data. And as weve learned in recent months, Apple wont hesitate to shut out third parties even those with well-meaning intentions that attempt to encroach on its iPhone-selling messaging platform in any way.

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Apple is already defending iMessage against tomorrow's quantum computing attacks - The Verge

DCD Podcast – The fundamentals of quantum computing, with Yuval Boger, QuEra – DCD – DatacenterDynamics

Over the years, several players have emerged in the quantum computing market, offering a variety of approaches to the technology.

From trapped ions to photonic or superconducting, these systems all show promise and all face significant challenges to becoming commercially viable.

In this Zero Downtime podcast episode, we are joined by Yuval Boger of QuEra, a neutral atom-based quantum computer company, to talk about the different types of quantum computers and the challenges in making them powerful and accurate enough for widespread adoption and deployment.

In addition, we talk about some of the uses that quantum computing may be more appropriate than traditional supercomputing.

We also discuss some of the practicalities of deploying quantum computers in data centers, with some such systems requiring powerful cooling systems.

So, which type of quantum computer will win out in the end?

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DCD Podcast - The fundamentals of quantum computing, with Yuval Boger, QuEra - DCD - DatacenterDynamics

The Current State of Quantum Computing – Securities.io

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The Current State of Quantum Computing - Securities.io

Inside Finland’s state-of-the-art quantum computing hardware ecosystem – TNW

In 1965, cryogenics pioneer Olli V. Lounasmaa set up the Low Temperature Laboratory (LTL) at what is now Aalto University to research ultra-low temperature physics. Despite some initial scepticism because why would anyone want to research cold in Finland, the LTL has prospered, attracting researchers from all over the world and laying the foundation for Finlands leading quantum computing startup ecosystem.

Quantum computing has long been the stuff of dreams. Arthur C. Clarkes statement from the 1970s that any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic, has never felt truer than when trying to wrap ones head around phenomena such as quantum entanglement. However, individual pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fit together at an ever-increasing pace.

Before we venture any further down the quantum rabbit hole however, just a small public service announcement for those who might be wondering what exactly quantum computers, which use quantum bits, or qubits, as the basic unit of data, actually do. The truth is, not a whole lot yet. However, their potential is nothing short of, well, magical.

If the reality the evangelists are hoping for comes to pass, quantum computers will be able to solve complex issues, including climate change, novel material engineering, new kinds of medicine, ultra-secure forms of encryption, and more. They could also literally break the internet on what is known as Q-Day.

The ultimate goal would be to run some AI and accelerate that with the help of a quantum computer and that kind of system would be able to solve some questions on a, lets say, superhuman level, Juha Vartiainen, head of global affairs and co-founder of IQM, Finlands strike that Europes leading quantum hardware company in superconducting circuits, tells TNW.

Maybe some philosophical questions about the fabric of the world, sort of with first-hand access to the quantum realm, he muses. So basically, the ultimate questions of Life, the Universe, and Everything.

But this is something like quantum utopia. Quantum technologies, and in particular quantum computers, are still in their infancy. Startups looking to carve out a niche in the field need to find means of financially surviving what is called the NISQ-era. This stands for Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum, and refers to the current state of high error rates and limited number of qubits.

It is considered a time of exploration and learning, more than one of actual commercial application. In turn, this means that it is difficult for investors to cash in on the promises of the technology within a customary time span.

We are the camel startups, says Himadri Majumdar, founder and CEO of SemiQon, a company building silicon-based semiconducting quantum processors. We take it slow, but at a steady pace.

SemiQon, a spinout from Finlands state-owned non-profit research organisation VTT, has been able to leverage both private and public funding, Majumdar explains. What we are trying to do is to demonstrate in cycles how we can get to the scalability aspect with every iteration of fabrication that we do.

Due to the difficulty in attracting capital, the edge in quantum computing mostly belongs to countries with governments ready to spend on what they believe will give them a leg up economically or geopolitically in the future. In 2022, China poured $15.3bn into the technology, followed by only $1.8bn from the US government, and $1.2bn from the EU.

The quantum computing market, worth $9.3bn in 2022, is expected to grow to $203.1bn by 2032. Companies with significant quantum projects include tech giants like IBM, Google Quantum AI, Amazon, and Microsoft. And yet, a small country in the Nordics has built a world-leading quantum technology ecosystem including a company without which there would be no quantum computers at all. From our point of view, the story has only started, says Jonas Geust, CEO of Bluefors, the global market leader for what are essentially quantum computer refrigerators. These are the golden chandeliers keeping the qubits chilled. They are a requirement for todays superconducting qubits to function, and entirely synonymous with quantum computers in the mind of the broader public. Although, as quantum computing systems begin to scale, that might change. Bluefors biggest fridge to date is KIDE, built to support a 1,000 qubit system (such as IBMs Quantum Condor chip). KIDE is structurally different in the sense that its standing on the floor, rather than hanging from the ceiling. It is also a hexagon, where you can remove one of the doors, and then put another KIDE next to it, interlinking several quantum computers. We are looking at how to build the scalability in terms of varying industrial needs, Geust adds. We are working on what our customers will need in five years from now and the actual implementations that are still ahead of us. Bluefors was founded in 2008 by Rob Blauwgeers and Pieter Vorselman. It now employs 600 people, has a revenue of over 160mn, and considers the US its second home. The company is also exploring other applications for its cryogenic technology, such as cooling for sensitive sensors for astrophysics, hydrogen storage, and basic material science.

Other quantum hardware startups are also defining revenue generating applications. IQM, for instance, has begun supplying research institutes with smaller scale qubit systems, on which tomorrows quantum engineers can learn to read and handle qubits. The company launched in 2018, and in 2022 it raised 128mn in Series A2 the largest ever funding round raised by a European quantum computing company. The companys first product is the affordably priced 5-qubit IQM Spark. Quantum education has historically been available to only very few physicists, Vartiainen says. And this was fine, because not that many quantum physicists were needed. But now things have changed, and very suddenly.

The idea behind Spark is that students can use it and play with it and run physics simulations, very fundamental discoveries of quantum physics, and run some simple algorithms and learn how a quantum computer works, Vartiainen explains. IQM is also getting ready to ship its larger system Radiance, ranging from 54 to 150 qubits, which it says will pave the way to quantum advantage (when a quantum computer can demonstrably solve a problem no classical computer can), helping businesses train on and navigate smaller systems before larger ones become commercially available. IQM has found a commercial niche as it helps train scientists with the quantum technology available now, using superconductors that require large refrigerating apparatuses. SemiQon on the other hand is building its semiconducting quantum chips that are much less affected by temperatures for the million qubit era. What we were doing at VTT was based on superconductors. So we were building superconductor-based quantum computers. But we also had this capability of doing semiconductor-based quantum processors or quantum computing devices, Majumdar says. And that was more interesting for me personally, because semiconductors are scalable, they are affordable, and the technology has a much bigger prospect of scaling.

Beyond academic traditions, what are the foundations on which Finland has built this leading quantum business container? One thing is that its quite concentrated, IQMs Vartiainen says. Actually, its quite a small area within maybe a radius of two, three kilometres, there are quite a lot of quantum players. There is a lot of know-how in this ecosystem, Majumdar emphasises. This means that we can find solutions, or persons who have the solutions, relatively easily and quite quickly compared to other places. Access to facilities and government-supported infrastructure, such as those at VTT just outside Helsinki, are also essential for startups working in fields like quantum. If you need a measurement facility for a specific, very niche measurement, you find it here. And you dont have to go far, Majumdar says.

For its part, Bluefors works actively with universities and takes on many summer trainees. Indeed, partnership seems to be the keyalso for solving workforce-related issues. When looking for micro-engineering skills, for instance, the company turned to its neighbours at the Finnish School of Watchmaking.

When asked about the difficulty in finding talent for such high-skilled work, Geust states that: Its a continuous challenge. I think this is what anybody working with new technologies is experiencing.

Then he utters what seems to summarise the Finnish ethos, and perhaps in part also explains how this ecosystem has managed to punch above its weight in attracting both talent and foreign investment. On the other hand, I sort of come from the school that it doesnt help complaining, you know we just need to do a better job.

We are still some way away (not even experts can agree on exactly how far) from quantum supremacy. We still need to observe, learn, tinker, and, quite possibly, dream enough for that day to become a reality. But until then, quantum computers will be able to work in conjunction with classical computers, running highly specific simulations.

This is very much being explored in the quantum software engineering realm, a whole other chapter in the quantum saga, which we will feature in another story.

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Inside Finland's state-of-the-art quantum computing hardware ecosystem - TNW

Apple to launch PQ3 update for iMessage, bolstering encryption against quantum computing – ReadWrite

Apple has confirmed its plans to launch its newest iMessage security protocol, named PQ3, in response to what it claims is a future threat from quantum computers, according to a recent PCMag report.

iMessage currently uses end-to-end encryption, ensuring that messages between the sender and receiver are secure and inaccessible to anyone else, including Apple. However, Apple is concerned that the advancement of quantum computers may soon reach a level where they could decrypt iMessage content. Such powerful quantum computers would presumably also be capable of decrypting messages sent through other apps, such as WhatsApp.

Last year, the Technical University of Denmark stated that although quantum computers are already operational, they lack the power to break end-to-end encryption at present, indicating it may take years to achieve this capability due to their current size limitations.

On Wednesday, Apples Security Engineering and Architecture (SEAR) team wrote about the evolution of encryption on messaging platforms. They explained that traditionally, platforms have relied on classical public key cryptography methods like RSA, Elliptic Curve signatures, and Diffie-Hellman key exchange to secure end-to-end encrypted connections. These methods are grounded in complex mathematical problems that were once deemed too challenging for computers to solve, even with advancements predicted by Moores law.

The SEAR team highlighted, however, that the advent of quantum computing could shift this balance. They noted that a sufficiently powerful quantum computer could solve these classical mathematical problems in fundamentally different ways, potentially fast enough to compromise the security of encrypted communications.

The team also raised concerns about future threats, stating that while current quantum computers cant decrypt data protected by these methods, adversaries might store encrypted data now with the intention of decrypting it later using more advanced quantum technology. This strategy, known as Harvest Now, Decrypt Later, underscores the potential long-term vulnerabilities in current encryption techniques against the backdrop of quantum computings rapid development.

As a result, the tech giant has created PQ3, which it says has been built from the ground up to redesign iMessage from a security standpoint, adding a third level of protection to its end users.

PQ3 is expected to launch in March with iOS 17.4, as well as iPadOS 17.4, macOS 14.4 and watchOS 10.4.

The simultaneous rollout across multiple Apple operating systems underscores the companys commitment to addressing the future threat quantum computers pose to end-to-end encryption. Apple is taking proactive steps to ensure that iMessage users on iPhones, tablets, computers, and wearables receive protection as swiftly as possible.

Featured Image: Photo by Mariia Shalabaieva on Unsplash

James Jones is a highly experienced journalist, podcaster and digital publishing specialist, who has been creating content in a variety of forms for online publications in the sports and tech industry for over 10 years. He has worked at some of the leading online publishers in the country, most recently as the Content Lead for Snack Media's expansive of portfolio of websites, including Football Fancast.com, FootballLeagueWorld.co.uk and GiveMeSport.com. James has also appeared on several national and global media outlets, including BBC News, talkSPORT, LBC Radio, 5 Live Radio, TNT Sports, GB News and BBCs Match of the Day 2. James has a degree in Journalism and previously held the position of Editor-in-Chief at FootballFanCast.com. Now, he co-hosts the popular We Are West Ham Podcast, writes a weekly column for BBC Sport and covers the latest news in the industry for ReadWrite.com.

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Apple to launch PQ3 update for iMessage, bolstering encryption against quantum computing - ReadWrite

Apple is future-proofing iMessage with post-quantum cryptography – Cointelegraph

Apple unveiled PQ3, the most significant cryptographic security upgrade in iMessage history, for iOS 17.4 on Feb. 21.

With the new protocol, Apple becomes one of only a handful of providers featuring post-quantum cryptography for messages. Signal launched a quantum resistant encryption upgrade back in September 2023, but Apple says its the first to reach level 3 encryption.

According to the Cupertino-based company:

Apples iMessage has featured end-to-end encryption since its inception. While it initially used RSA encryption, the company switched to Elliptic Curve cryptography (ECC) in 2019.

As of current, breaking such encryption is considered infeasible due to the amount of time and computing power required. However, the threat of quantum computing looms closer every day.

Theoretically, a quantum computer of sufficient capabilities could break todays encryption methods with relative ease. To the best of our knowledge there arent any current quantum computing systems capable of doing so, but the rapid pace of advancement has caused governments and organizations around the world to begin preparations.

The big idea is that by developing post-quantum cryptography methods ahead of time, good actors such as banks and hospitals can safeguard their data against malicious actors with access to cutting-edge technology.

Theres no current time frame for the advent of quantum computers capable of breaking standard cryptography. IBMclaims it will have hit an inflection point in quantum computing by 2029, while MIT/Harvard spinout QuEra says it will have had a 10,000-qubit error-corrected system by 2026.

Unfortunately, bad actors arent waiting until they can get their hands on a quantum computer to start their attacks. Many are harvesting encrypted data illicitly and storing it for decryption later in whats commonly known as a HNDL attack (harvest now, decrypt later).

Related: Oxford economist who predicted crypto going mainstream says quantum economics is next

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Apple is future-proofing iMessage with post-quantum cryptography - Cointelegraph

How is Quantum Technology Developing in Ireland? A Conversation with John Durcan, IDA Ireland – AZoQuantum

In a new and exciting interview feature, AZoQuantum discusses the quantum race in Ireland with IDA Ireland Chief Technologist John Durcan. Welook at how research and development is being spurred within the region as well as John's ambitions and predictions for the future.

My name is John Durcan, and in my role as Chief Technologist in the Technology division for IDA Ireland, I work with many of the global technology companies, exploring new opportunities for R&D in Ireland and working to enhance industry and academic collaboration in new areas of research. My own background is in the area of Computer Science, and currently, my four key technology areas of focus are Machine Learning (ML)/Artificial Intelligence (AI), Semiconductors, Quantum computing and Cyber Security.

I am very much passionate about the latest trends in the technology landscape and quantum computing is poised to be one of the biggest trends at the moment, with new tools and developments emerging at pace.

Yes, there has certainly been significant progress in the field of quantum computing in recent years, particularly with hardware and algorithms. For example, in 2019, Google claimed to have achieved Quantum Supremacy by performing a computation that would normally take classical supercomputers thousands of years to complete. This was a major milestone that demonstrated the potential of quantum computers to outperform classical counterparts for specific tasks.

We are also seeing major technology companies and research institutions developing quantum processors with an increasing number of qubits, which is enhancing their capabilities. Late last year, IBM took the record for the largest quantum computing system witha processor that contained 433 qubits, and they announced a roadmap to build an error-corrected quantum computer by 2030.

Additionally, we have also seen advancements when it comes to quantum networks that hold the promise of unhackable communication and distributed quantum computing. In particular, were seeing the progression of quantum communication due to the development of Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) protocols, which will enable the secure transmission of information and programs such as the EuroQCI (European Quantum Communication Infrastructure), which Ireland is involved in.

This gives access to industry and academia for R&D, thus providing great new opportunities for any company looking to access such a resource.

There has recently been a surge in research and development in quantum computing primarily because it offers the potential to solve complex problems that are currently beyond the capabilities of classical computers. This opens a world of new opportunities across all sectors of the industry.

As a result of this potential, we are witnessing breakthroughs in fields such as Cryptography, drug discovery, material science and optimisation. Operating on the principles of quantum mechanics, this technology utilises qubits to execute computations at unprecedented speeds.

Image Credit:solarseven/Shutterstock.com

Nevertheless, the global landscape of quantum computing is continuing to evolve in several countries including Ireland, which is positioning itself to build on the successful tech sector here. For example, in the startup world, we have a company called Equal 1 developing groundbreaking quantum silicon that integrates entire quantum computing systems onto a single chip and on the FDI side, Horizon Quantum Computing opened their first European office in Dublin with the focus on developing the software tools for the world of quantum computing.

Government-funded research groups are vital in the development of quantum computing, particularly in Ireland, which continues to enhance its position in quantum computing research and development. In November 2023, the Irish Government published a national strategy for quantum research.

The report Quantum 2030 A National Quantum Technologies Strategy for Ireland found that nine of the top ten global software companies and three of the top four internet companies have significant operations in Ireland. The report describes Ireland as being ideally situated to capitalise on quantum for industry, noting the potential for quantum technologies in computing, communication, simulation, and sensing.

The country boasts several research institutions, including Trinity College Dublin, which hosts the Centre for Quantum Engineering and Science. Theres also the Trinity Quantum Alliance (TQA) which was launched in 2023. The TQA is a collaboration with Trinity, Microsoft, IBM, Horizon Quantum Computing, Algorithmiq and Moodys Analytics; that brings together experts from research and industry for innovative projects in quantum science and technology, simulation, education, and computation.

The TQA is the catalyst for investment in quantum technology in Ireland with the ultimate goal to construct a vibrant ecosystem to the benefit of various industry sectors and it is already bringing in results. A great example of this involves Trinitys quantum physicists' collaboration with IBM Dublin, who have successfully simulated super diffusion in a system of interacting quantum particles on a quantum computer, which is the first step in doing highly challenging quantum transport calculations on quantum hardware.

Additionally, Ireland's Walton Institute, is also a hub for quantum research and innovation, also plays a pivotal role in the country's quantum leadership as it fosters quantum advancements.

Id say that the fintech sector will experience the most impact. Ireland has an opportunity to build on the deep technical expertise built up over the years. For example, we have Mastercard with their only European Tech Hub based in Ireland, who are partnering with corporate and academic players in Ireland and around the globe to explore quantum computing applications in financial and payment use cases. Fidelity Investments Ireland has built a quantum team in their Fidelity Center for Applied Technology lab in Dublin, a blue skies research lab that looks at future emerging technologies with a 510-year ROI timeframe.

We are starting to see collaborations across sectors such as IBM Research Europe Dublin and Mastercard Ireland working on a quantum subgraph isomorphism algorithm that could distinguish between money laundering schemes and legitimate business enterprises.

The life sciences industry is another sector that will most benefit from quantum. Currently, there is the idea that quantum will be able to help find new chemical compounds. The reason why quantum is wanted for this is because chemical compounds are quite complex when they are being built, and the complexities increase as the compounds grow. It would take months or years for a classical computer to monitor this process, compared to quantum, which should be able to do this in a much shorter period of time. We're starting to see this in drug discovery as well, with most recently seeing AI being used to help source new antibiotics.

The industry is also looking at the opportunities for quantum to help in material sciences, as it could be very relevant to the semiconductor sector. Theres a possibility that quantum can help look at these new materials for engineering, which in turn will help with superconductivity that is related to the high transfer of energy with lower energy loss.

Despite the remarkable advancements, quantum computing faces substantial challenges. Quantum states are delicate and easily disrupted by their environment, which can lead to errors. To help eradicate this, error correction codes and quantum error correction techniques, such as surface codes and topological qubits, are being developed to mitigate the impact of errors and increase the reliability of quantum computations.

Additionally, quantum systems exhibit interference phenomena, where qubits' superpositions interfere destructively or constructively, affecting computation outcomes. However, techniques to control and mitigate interference are currently being explored.

Regional Spotlight: The Quantum Race in Ireland

The development of quantum computing and the maintenance involved is costly, which is why research efforts also include how hardware costs can be reduced and resource allocation optimised. Also, building large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers is a significant challenge. To help overcome this challenge, quantum annealing, and trapped ion technologies are being explored to create scalable quantum architectures.

Quantum computing requires a specialised skill set. According to the World Economic Forum, more than half of quantum companies are currently hiring and they struggle to find people with the right skill set. Most current jobs are highly technical, and the only people trained in the field of quantum technologies are highly academic.

Educational programs and partnerships between academia and industry in countries like Ireland are helping to address the shortage of quantum experts. Currently, the IBM fellowship program in Ireland is aiming to achieve PhD status as this level of education is needed due to quantum still being relatively new. Technology Ireland ICT Skillnet, which works with industry to develop skills of the future, has developed two programs:

The most important factor in being able to accelerate the expansion of the current talent base is ensuring that the PhD programs are aimed at encouraging Physics students to move into the world of quantum and showing them that there is an academic path to follow, whilst increasing the number of sponsored PhD quantum research programs which I can see happening over the next couple of years. This should give enough time for degree and masters physics programs to start incorporating quantum.

One of the challenges with getting people to take up quantum computing is to do with the case of classical IT, data, and computer coding which all pay well and are much easier to get into, but it also creates an opportunity here in Ireland. Currently, the Software Development in Ireland industry is valued at 61.4bn and is ranked 2nd in the EU with 33,000+ Software Developers. If one started with just a 1% conversion through targeted programmes, this could give the potential of 300+ Quantum Software engineers to get involved from an early stage and help demonstrate the potential for industry use cases.

Quantum computing holds tremendous promise for solving complex problems and transforming various industries. As the field continues to advance, addressing challenges related to error correction, scalability, and workforce development will be essential.

I would say Ireland has a great opportunity to build on its strengths in technology, Fintech and Life science which are all key areas of interest for Quantum. We can for example, lead opportunities for collaboration across Europe by leveraging growing funding supports out of the EU, such as Horizon Europe and the Quantum Flagship.

When one looks at opportunities for new business, the European Scaleup Institute found Ireland has the highest concentration of High-Growth Firms (HGFs) and hypergrowers (in proportion to overall companies in the country), so perhaps we could see some of these in the world of quantum. It is an exciting time ahead.

More information is available at https://www.idaireland.com/.

John Durcan is Chief Technologist at IDA Ireland, the national investment development agency for Ireland.IDA Ireland partners with companies worldwide to provide financial assistance, on-the-ground support and advice to help them establish and transform their operations in Ireland.Durcans current key focus areas are artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, cyber security and the semiconductor sector. Please connect with him at[emailprotected]orwww.idaireland.com.

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the interviewee and do not necessarily represent the views of AZoM.com Limited (T/A) AZoNetwork, the owner and operator of this website. This disclaimer forms part of the Terms and Conditions of use of this website.

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How is Quantum Technology Developing in Ireland? A Conversation with John Durcan, IDA Ireland - AZoQuantum