Cloud Hosting

Quantum computing promises to be a revolutionary tool, making short work of equations that classical computers would struggle to ever complete. Yet the workhorse of the quantum device, known as a qubit, is a delicate object prone to collapsing.

Keeping enough qubits in their ideal state long enough for computations has so far proved a challenge.

In a new experiment, scientists were able to keep a qubit in that state for twice as long as normal. Along the way, they demonstrated the practicality of quantum error correction (QEC), a process that keeps quantum information intact for longer by introducing room for redundancy and error removal.

The idea of QEC has been around since the mid-90s, but it's now been shown to work in real time. Part of the reason for the experiment's success was the introduction of machine learning AI algorithms to tweak the error correction routine.

"For the first time, we have shown that making the system more redundant and actively detecting and correcting quantum errors provided a gain in the resilience of quantum information," says physicist Michel Devoret, from Yale University in Connecticut.

Qubits are objects as they exist in a mix of quantum states. Where classic objects can have absolute states, a qubit's version of the same state would be best described using probability. As a qubit interacts with other qubits, their probabilities become entangled in computationally useful ways.

Unfortunately, it's not just other qubits that can entwine their states with a non-decided object. Everything in the environment acts as 'noise', potentially influencing those delicate probabilities and making room for errors.

Part of the reason scientists have struggled to implement QEC is because it can introduce errors of its own. The extra space afforded for error correction can make the qubit even more vulnerable to interference from the surrounding environment.

Like many quantum physics experiments, this one was run at ultra-cold temperatures a hundred times colder than outer space, in this case. The setup has to be carefully controlled in order to protect the qubit as much as possible.

The error-corrected qubit lasted for 1.8 milliseconds only a blink as we might experience it, but an impressive span for a qubit operating on the quantum level. Now the research team will be able to refine the process further.

"Our experiment shows that quantum error correction is a real practical tool," says Devoret. "It's more than just a proof-of-principle demonstration."

While scientists are making significant strides forward in the development of quantum computers and there are rudimentary quantum computers in use now there's still a long way to go before the full potential of the technology is realized.

Reducing noise, improving stability, and upgrading error correction are all going to play a big part in getting closer towards full-scale, practical quantum computers that everyone can use.

In this case the breakthrough was down to several different factors, rather than one change. The QEC code was actually one from 2001, but improvements to it as well as upgrades to the quantum circuit fabrication process made a difference.

"There is no single breakthrough that enabled this result," says Volodymyr Sivak, a research scientist at Google and formerly at Yale University. "It's actually a combination of a whole bunch of different technologies that were developed in the past few years, which we combined in this experiment."

"Our experiment validates a cornerstone assumption of quantum computing, and this makes me very excited about the future of this field."

The research has been published in Nature.

Link:
Physicists Extend Qubit Lifespan in Pivotal Validation of Quantum Computing - ScienceAlert

India can leverage its robust and secure digital public infrastructure to emerge as a force to reckon with in the global manufacturing space, says Rahul Mahajan, who is the CTO ofdigital engineering major Nagarro.In an interaction with businessline, Mahajan also shared his views and insights on recent developments in the field of quantum computing, cloud governance and the impact of AI technology, among others. Excerpts:

5G is finally here. How do you see it changing the IoT, Edge Computing and Cloud landscape? And what does Industry 4.0 mean for India, which is nurturing ambitions of becoming the manufacturing hub of the world?

5G has started disrupting the technology landscape by enabling faster and more reliable communication between devices and systems. With its ultra-low latency and super-high bandwidth capabilities, 5G can support multiple devices, allowing for the development of more complex and sophisticated IoT applications. India is currently in a fortunate position to possess a resilient and secure digital public infrastructure, which is bolstered by key pillars such as the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), Aadhaar, Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN), Digital Locker, widespread mobile phone adoption, and the National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN). Digital infrastructure plays a fundamental role in driving high growth and a robust economy, fuelled by strong domestic consumption. India is currently striving to establish itself as a dominant force and a global leader in the manufacturing sector. To attain high levels of efficiency in manufacturing, it is crucial to adopt industrial-grade public/private 5G networks, IoT, Edge Computing and cloud-based data analytics, which can effectively enhance operations and promote the transition towards smarter factories (Industry 4.0). With the help of real-time data processing, machine learning, and AI, smart factories can improve quality control, reduce downtime, and increase overall efficiency.

Along with A1, quantum computing is expected to drive the next wave of innovation and enhance productivity across multiple sectors, with some experts saying 2026 or 2027 will be the year when the tech would reach critical maturity. Are we on track for this?

Though quantum computing can be a disruptive technology, it is still an emerging technology. The development of quantum computers is a complex process that requires overcoming several technical hurdles such as decoherence, error correction and scalability. With the current pace of innovation, we hope to achieve Quantum Advantage which is a significant improvement in quantum algorithm runtime for practical cases over the best classical algorithm by the year 2026.

Governments and organisations worldwide are heavily investing in the research and development of quantum computing. For instance, India has launched a National Mission on Quantum Technologies and Applications aimed at advancing quantum technologies in the country. Additionally, India recently revealed a Quantum Communication Network to facilitate secure transmission. Several organisations, including Nagarro and IIT-Madras, are conducting research to develop new solutions using quantum computing.

Apart from encryption, early research in quantum computing has shown potential in areas such as portfolio and asset planning in finance; protein folding and new drug molecule discovery in healthcare; and optimization-related solutions in industries such as retail and manufacturing. In my opinion, although India has made some progress, it should intensify its efforts in quantum computing research. Collaborative work between academia and the corporate industry could lead to tangible results. Encouraging new research papers, patents, and start-ups in this field would also be beneficial.

Whats your take on multi-cloud and hybrid-cloud strategy? How is the model evolving across the world and in India?

Multi-cloud refers to the practice of using more than one cloud provider to meet different requirements, while hybrid-cloud refers to the combination of on-premises infrastructure with one or more cloud providers. A multi-cloud strategy provides greater flexibility and opportunities to reduce cost, reduce the risk of downtime and mitigate the risk of vendor lock-in.

On the enterprise computing side and applicable in the Indian context communications, media, services, and banking/insurance industries are among the top contributors to carbon emissions. There is a growing trend in India and around the world towards prioritising ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) considerations and sustainable practices in all aspects of business, including cloud computing. An effective approach is to migrate workloads to the cloud providers where green energy usage is encouraged. We see hyperscalers investing significantly to become greener through measures such as sourcing green energy themselves.

Has the cloud governance model matured? What are the existing and emerging challenges and how do you plan to address them, particularly issues around data security and privacy?

The cloud governance model has been improving over time. Opportunities to further improve governance revolve largely around data security and data privacy. One critical aspect of governance is ensuring that data on the cloud is protected, including encrypting data at rest and in transit, controlling access to data, and monitoring for unauthorised access. Cloud service providers typically have their security measures in place, but it is still important for organisations to have their security policies and procedures to ensure that data is protected.

Another aspect is ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, such as Indian data protection laws, GDPR or HIPAA. Organizations must ensure that they are following the appropriate regulations when storing and processing data in the cloud. Most organisations are yet to operationalise a clear strategy for progressive consent management, data security operations and use-case-specific data activation. To address these challenges, organizations are exploring best practices, including agile data audits, multi-factor authentication, muti-level encryption, data privacy and security-focused vendor contracts, and enabling a chief data office.

Thanks to ChatGPT, AI has caught the imagination of everyone. How do you see AI improving and optimizing data centre performance?

The recent advancements in AI, particularly in the field of large language models and generative AI, have created a significant potential for enhancing data centre efficiency. With the help of language models, it is now possible to gain unique insights into server logs and network traffic, which can assist data centre solution engineers in developing customised strategies for optimising performance. Additionally, generative AI, such as the technology used in ChatGPT, can be utilised to generate simulated data security scenarios, which can aid in identifying potential security risks proactively.

One of our clients is utilising AI for anomaly detection to prevent excessive billing by monitoring resource consumption and usage. Moreover, we have implemented AI algorithms that proactively adjust server parameters for cooling and power usage to improve energy efficiency. AI is enabling newer ways to solve these problems and we are super excited about the future possibilities.

Link:
India should intensify its efforts in quantum computing research - BusinessLine