Archive for the ‘Quantum Computing’ Category
IonQ Stock Is an Investment in Cutting Edge, Global Solutions – InvestorPlace
Posted: December 15, 2021 at 1:55 am
IonQ(NYSE:IONQ) seeks to lead the way in a very specific market: quantum computing. Fortunately, you dont have to be a mathematician or computer scientist to invest in IONQ stock.
Source: Amin Van / Shutterstock.com
It is important to understand what the company does, though. To put it simply, IonQ develops quantum computers designed to solve the worlds most complex problems.
This niche industry has vast moneymaking potential. According to IonQ, experts predict that the total addressable market for quantum computing will reach around $65 billion by 2030.
IonQ got in fairly early and aggressively, as the company has been around since 2015 and produced six generations of quantum computers. Theres a terrific investment opportunity here, yet the share price is down and if you ask me, this just doesnt compute.
Going back to the beginning, IonQoffered its shares for public tradingon theNew York Stock Exchange on Oct. 1, 2021, after reverse-merging with dMY Technology Group III.
The stock started off at around $10 but sank to the low $7s in just a few days time. However, that turned out to be a great time to start a long position.
Amazingly, IONQ stock staged a swift turnaround and soared to nearly $36 in November. In hindsight, however, this rally went too fast and too far.
Inevitably, a retracement ensued and the early investors had to cough up some of their gains. By early December, the share price had declined to $18 and change.
Sure, you could wait and hope that IONQ stock falls further before considering a position. Yet, you might miss out on a buy-the-dip opportunity with an ambitious, future-facing tech business.
I case I didnt make it abundantly clear already, IonQ is serious about advancing quantum-computing technology.
Case in point: in order to cement its leadership position in this niche, IonQ recently revealed its plans to use barium ions as qubits in its systems, thereby bringing about a wave of advantages it believes will enable advanced quantum computing architectures.
A qubit, or quantum bit, is basically a tiny bit of coded information in quantum mechanics.
Its perfectly fine if you dont fully understand the scientific minutiae, as IonQ President and CEO Peter Chapman and his team have the necessary know-how and experience.
We believe the advanced architectures enabled by barium qubits will be even more powerful and more scalable than the systems we have been able to build so far, opening the door to broader applications of quantum computing, Chapman assured.
Apparently, the advantages of using barium ions as qubits include lower error rates, higher gate fidelity, better state detection, more easily networked quantum systems and iterable, more reliable hardware, with more uptime for customers.
Thankfully, now I can leave the science to the scientists, and focus on what I do best: breaking down financial data.After all, Id be hard-pressed to recommend any company if it didnt at least have a decent capital position.
CFO Thomas Kramer was evidently glad to report that, as of Sept. 30 IonQ had cash and cash equivalents of $587 million.The companys strong balance sheet, according to Kramer will allow IonQ to accelerate [the] scaling of all business functions and continue attracting the industrys best and brightest.
Since IonQ is well-capitalized, the company should be well-positioned to benefit from Capitol Hills interest in quantum as shown by the infrastructure bill, the CFO added.
Its also worth noting that IonQ generated $223,000 in revenues during 2021s third quarter, bringing the year-to-date total to $451,000.
Hopefully, the company can parlay its quantum-computing know-how into seven-figure revenues in the near future.
IonQs loyal investors dont need to understand everything about qubits. They only need to envision a robust future for the quantum-computing market.
We cant claim that IonQ is generating massive revenues at this point. Therefore, it requires patience and foresight to invest in this company with confidence.
Yet, an early stake could offer vast rewards in the long run. After all, when it comes to deep-level, next-gen quantum computing, IonQ clearly has it down to a science.
On the date of publication, David Moadeldid not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.comPublishing Guidelines.
David Moadel has provided compelling content and crossed the occasional line on behalf of Crush the Street, Market Realist, TalkMarkets, Finom Group, Benzinga, and (of course) InvestorPlace.com. He also serves as the chief analyst and market researcher for Portfolio Wealth Global and hosts the popular financial YouTube channel Looking at the Markets.
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IonQ Stock Is an Investment in Cutting Edge, Global Solutions - InvestorPlace
The Next Megatrend Has Started – InvestorPlace
Posted: at 1:55 am
The coming era of quantum computing how it will usher in a new era for our world one company on the cutting edge to consider today
Atoms dont follow the traditional rules of physics.
Our top scientists now understand that quantum particles can move forward or backward in time.
It gets crazier
They can also exist in two places at onceand even teleport.
Its mind-blowing stuff.
Now, consider that these strange behaviors are what leading technologists are trying to harness as they create a tool that will transform, well,everything.
***That tool is the quantum computer
Heres a boiled-down description from our hypergrowth expert, Luke Lango:
While the engineering behind quantum computing is super complex, the big idea is quite simple: Take the unique attributes of quantum mechanics such as super-positioning and entanglement and apply them to computing, so as to create a new generation of quantum computers that can do things infinitely faster than even the fastest supercomputers can do today.
Its hard to grasp the additional speed of these quantum computers, and what it means for coming technological advancements.
But consider this comparison from Peter Chapman, CEO of leading quantum startup, IonQ:
The differences between quantum computers and classical computers are even more vast than those between classical computers and pen and paper.
Futurist, Bernard Marr, writes that quantum computers can solve problems that would take a traditional computer a billion years to solve.
And this isnt just a later this decade kind of technology were already tiptoeing into this world.
FromMedium:
In 2019, Googles quantum computer did a calculation in less than four minutes that would take the worlds most powerful computer 10,000 years to do
This makes Googles quantum computer about 158 million times faster than the worlds fastest supercomputer
It is the seed for the worlds first fully functional quantum computer that can make better medicines, create smarter artificial intelligence and solve great riddles of the cosmos
As to the ability of quantum computers to change everything, there are many examples, but consider perhaps the most significant healthcare.
FromForbes:
Quantum computers could enable drastic progression in drug discovery and development, ultimately giving scientists the ability to solve problems that are currently intractable
Scientists, such as those at Swiss pharmaceutical company, Roche, hope that quantum simulations will speed up the development of drugs and vaccines to protect against the likes of Covid-19, influenza, cancer and even potentially find a cure for Alzheimers.
***Big tech is already funneling money into this budding technology
Google isnt the only big tech name pouring money into research here.
Back to Luke:
In December of 2019, Amazon announced that the company would be jumping into the quantum compute space by launchingBraket, its own Quantum Computing as a Service (QCaaS) business.
Not two weeks later, Intel unveiled a first-of-its-kind cryogenic control chip Horse Ridge to help facilitate the development of full-stack quantum computing systems.
More recently, IBM just shipped its first quantum computer to Germany (this summer), marking the first quantum computer in Europe. (Also this summer), researchers at the University of Innsbruck, Austria, fabricated a compact quantum computer processor that fits in two small boxes a huge step forward for the miniaturization of these computers.
Folks the quantum computing revolution startsnow and over the next decade, the rise of quantum computing will turn into one of Wall Streets biggest investment megatrends.
Lets put some numbers on Lukes claim.
FromGlobalNewswire:
The Global Quantum Computing Market Size is expected to value USD 487.4 million in 2021 and is expected to reach USD 3728.4 million by 2030 at a CAGR of 25.40% over the forecast period from 2021 to 2030.
We will be bringing you news of advancements here in theDigestover the coming years, as well as specific quantum-related recommendations for your portfolio. But its never too early to begin.
And so today, were peering over Lukes shoulder at a recent quantum computing play he wrote about in his service,The Daily 10X Stock Report. It turns out, this company is the same one that our venture capital expert, Cody Shirk, highlighted in his recent issue ofVenture Capital Digest.
Whats coming with quantum computing is going to be nothing short of astonishing. Today, lets put a company on your radar thats right in the middle of all of it.
***A pure-play quantum computing company
For newerDigestreaders, Luke is the analyst behindTheDaily 10X, as we call it. His specialty is finding market-leading tech innovators that are pioneering explosive trends, capable of generating 10X returns for investors over the long-term.
TheDaily 10Xis like nothing else we offer. Luke doesnt keep a portfolio or provide sell advice. But every day the market is open, he highlights a small cap stock with the potential to grow 1,000%.
Its a lucrative approach to the markets. To illustrate, in just the past five years, Luke has recommended 17 different 1,000%+ gaining stocks. Most investors never enjoy even one such 10X-winner.
Returning to quantum computers, whats the company on Lukes radar? The same that caught Cody Shirks eye?
From Luke:
The company were talking about isRigetti,who is coming public via a SPAC merger withSupernova Partners Acquisition Company II(SNII).
Rigetti is a pure-play quantum computing company founded in 2013 by someone we perceive as a modern-day genius, Chad Rigetti. Mr. Rigetti is an Applied Physics PhD from Yale that previously was a researcher for three years at IBMs quantum computing group. Very few people know the quantum computing industry like him.
Over the past eight years, Rigetti has established itself as a thought and technology leader in the quantum computing space. The company has secured huge partnerships with power tech players like Amazon Web Services and found itself cited in over 1,000 peer-reviewed publications. The company has also amassed a workforce in excess of 130 employees, over 40 of whom are PhD holders.
In Lukes issue, he dives into Rigettis competitive advantage its proprietary and scalable chip architecture. He notes that it appears to be highly effective and highly defensible.
But whats especially interesting at the moment is its valuation. At just $1.7 billion, its well beneath other quantum computing startups that are valued in the multi-billion-dollar range.
***How might Rigetti 10X your investment?
Lets go back to Luke:
Management pegs its addressable market at $850 billion, very similar to estimates being thrown around by other public quantum computing companies.
Revenues are expected around $600 million by 2026. That number could easily eclipse $1 billion by 2030.
Application software stocks of this ilk tend to trade around 11X sales.
That implies a long-term valuation target of $11 billion.
***One final note on Rigetti and quantum computing investing in general
Luke makes a great point, namely, that were in the earliest of the early days when it comes to investing here. That means plenty of risk we simply dont know who tomorrows winners will be.
In this type of situation, small position sizes in a basket of sector-related companies is often the best approach. This offers diversification, as well as the chance you align some of your money with tomorrows big winner.
On this note, heres Luke to take us out:
Were in love with the quantum computing market. I know. Were not supposed to fall in love in the stock market, but quantum computing is a rare exception because the trend will be that big and is that inevitable.
When you find a trend with huge potential like this, you have to take multiple shots on goal within the industry to maximize your return potential.
That is mostly why Rigetti is so interesting. It is another high-quality shot on goal in the quantum computing industry.
Have a good evening,
Jeff Remsburg
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$QTUM ETF, Disruptive Tech Exposure without the Soul Searching – PRNewswire
Posted: at 1:55 am
A recent reportpublished by theStreet.comranked QTUMas one of the top tech ETFs for 2022, beating out all of all of GlobalX's and Ark's suite of ETFs.QTUM's values hasrisen over34% so far in 2021,compared to ARKK'sbeing down22%.
QTUMlaunchedinSeptember2018 and now hasover $170 million in AUM. With 70 holdings and a 0.40% expense ratio, Defiance'sQTUM ETF offers diversified yet targeted exposureto a range oftopcloud computing, machine learning andquantum computing stocks.
Media Contact:
Julia Stoll MacMillan Communications (212) 473-4442[emailprotected]
As of this writing the Fund may or may not hold one or more of the positions (stocks) mentioned in the article. For a current list of holdings, click here
Fund holdings and sector allocations are subject to change at any time and should not be considered recommendations to buy or sell any security.
The Funds' investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses must be considered carefully before investing. Theprospectuscontain this and other important information about the investment company. Please read it carefully before investing. A hard copy of the prospectus can be requested by calling 833.333.9383.
Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible. As an ETF, the funds may trade at a premium or discount to NAV. Shares of any ETF are bought and sold at market price (not NAV) and are not individually redeemed from the Fund. The Funds are not actively managed and would not sell a security due to current or projected under performance unless that security is removed from the Index or is required upon a reconstitution of the Index. A portfolio concentrated in a single industry or country, may be subject to a higher degree of risk. The value of stocks of information technology companies are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in technology product cycles, rapid product obsolescence, government regulation and competition. The Funds are considered to be non-diversified, so they may invest more of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers. Investments in foreign securities involve certain risks including risk of loss due to foreign currency fluctuations or to political or economic instability. This risk is magnified in emerging markets. Small and mid-cap companies are subject to greater and more unpredictable price changes than securities of large-cap companies.The possible applications of quantum computing are only in the exploration stages, and the possibility of returns is uncertain and may not be realized in the near future. The "BlueStar Quantum Computing and Machine Learning Index", "BQTUM Index" (collectively "Quantum Computing and Machine Learning Index"), is the exclusive property and a trademark of BlueStar Global Investors LLC d/b/a BlueStar Indexes and has been licensed for use for certain purposes by Defiance ETFs LLC. Products based on the Quantum Computing and Machine Learning Index are not sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by BlueStar Global Investors, LLC or BlueStar Indexes, and BlueStar Global Investors, LLC and BlueStar Indexes makes no representation regarding the advisability of trading in such product(s). It is not possible to invest directly in an index.
Total return represents changes to the NAV and accounts for distributions from the fund. Median 30 Day Spread is a calculation of Fund's median bid-ask spread, expressed as a percentage rounded to the nearest hundredth, computed by: identifying the Fund's national best bid and national best offer as of the end of each 10 second interval during each trading day of the last 30 calendar days; dividing the difference between each such bid and offer by the midpoint of the national best bid and national best offer; and identifying the median of those values.
Diversification does not ensure a profit nor protect against loss in a declining market. Commissions may be charged on trades.
QTUM is distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC.
SOURCE Defiance ETFs
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$QTUM ETF, Disruptive Tech Exposure without the Soul Searching - PRNewswire
Cryptocurrency faces a quantum computing problem – CNET
Posted: November 14, 2021 at 1:46 am
An IBM quantum computer.
Cryptocurrencies hold the potential to change finance, eliminating middlemen and bringing accounts to millions of unbanked people around the world. Quantum computers could upend the way pharmaceuticals and materials are designed by bringing their extraordinary power to the process.
Here's the problem: The blockchain accounting technology that powers cryptocurrencies could be vulnerable to sophisticated attacks and forged transactions if quantum computing matures faster than efforts to future-proof digital money.
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Cryptocurrencies are secured by a technology called public key cryptography. The system is ubiquitous, protecting your online purchases and scrambling your communications for anyone other than the intended recipient. The technology works by combining a public key, one that anyone can see, with a private key that's for your eyes only.
If current progress continues, quantum computers will be able to crack public key cryptography, potentially creating a serious threat to the crypto world, where some currencies are valued at hundreds of billions of dollars. If encryption is broken, attackers can impersonate the legitimate owners of cryptocurrency, NFTs or other such digital assets.
"Once quantum computing becomes powerful enough, then essentially all the security guarantees will go out of the window," Dawn Song, a computer security entrepreneur and professor at the University of California, Berkeley, told the Collective[i] Forecast forum in October. "When public key cryptography is broken, users could be losing their funds and the whole system will break."
Quantum computers get their power by manipulating data stored on qubits, elements like charged atoms that are subject to the peculiar physics governing the ultrasmall. To crack encryption, quantum computers will need to harness thousands of qubits, vastly more than the dozens corralled by today's machines. The machines will also need persistent qubits that can perform calculations much longer than the fleeting moments possible right now.
But makers of quantum computers are working hard to address those shortcomings. They're stuffing ever more qubits into machines and working on quantum error correction methods to help qubits perform more-sophisticated and longer calculations.
"We expect that within a few years, sufficiently powerful computers will be available" for cracking blockchains open, said Nir Minerbi, CEO of quantum software maker Classiq Technologies.
The good news for cryptocurrency fans is the quantum computing problem can be fixed by adopting the same post-quantum cryptography technology that the computing industry already has begun developing. The US government's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), trying to get ahead of the problem, is several years into a careful process to find quantum-proof cryptography algorithms with involvement from researchers around the globe.
Indeed, several cryptocurrency and blockchain efforts are actively working on quantum resistant software:
A problem with the post-quantum cryptography algorithms under consideration so far, though, is that they generally need longer numeric encryption keys and longer processing times, says Peter Chapman, CEO of quantum computer maker IonQ. That could substantially increase the amount of computing horsepower needed to house blockchains.
Many cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin, are decentralized by design, overseen in effect by anyone who participates in each cryptocurrency network. To update a cryptocurrency's inner workings, people trying to upgrade a cryptocurrency must convince more than half of participants to "fork" the cryptocurrency into a new version.
The real quantum test for cryptocurrencies will be governance structures, not technologies, says Hunter Jensen, chief technology officer of Permission.io, a company using cryptocurrency for a targeted advertising system.
Such governance could reward cryptocurrencies that have stronger central powers, such as Dash with its masternodes or even "govcoins" issued by central banks, that can in principle move more swiftly to adopt post-quantum protection. But it presents a conundrum in the crypto community, which often rejects the idea of authority.
"It will be the truly decentralized currencies which will get hit if their communities are too slow and disorganized to act," said Andersen Cheng, chief executive at Post Quantum, a London based company that sells post-quantum encryption technology.
Another risk is that blockchains rely on a digital fingerprinting technology called hashing that quantum computers could disrupt. That's likely to be fixable with more-modest technology updates, though.
The cryptocurrency wallets people use to keep track of their digital assets could also be vulnerable to quantum computing. These wallets store private keys people need to access their assets recorded on the blockchain. A successful attack could empty a wallet.
"How do you force users to upgrade keys? That answer is not so straightforward and likely the most dangerous part," said Joe Genereux, senior cryptography and security engineer at browser maker Brave, which uses its own Basic Attention Token (BAT) cryptocurrency for an ad system that pays users. "I think cryptocurrencies that have better governance or post-quantum designs baked in early can get around this issue better."
Ultimately, though, cryptocurrency's organic, self-directed development suggests people will update the digital asset technology to surmount quantum computing's challenges, says David Sacco, who teaches at the University of New Haven.
"The beauty of the ecosystem," he said, "is that anyone can do it if they understand the technology."
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Quantum computing skills are hard to find. Here’s how companies are tackling the shortage – ZDNet
Posted: at 1:46 am
Quantum computing has the potential to fundamentally transform the technology industry by applying the weird effects of the quantum realm to complex business problems. But right now, quantum computing faces a more mundane problem itself: finding enough recruits.
Demand for digital skills in the workplace has been on a steady upward trend for years, but the sudden increased reliance on technology since the start of 2020 has made competition in tech recruitment even more fierce.
The CIO's guide to Quantum computing
Quantum computers offer great promise for cryptography and optimization problems, and companies are racing to make them practical for business use. ZDNet explores what quantum computers will and wont be able to do, and the challenges that remain.
Read More
The challenge is even greater for organizations dealing in highly specialized technologies. Quantum computing, for example, combines a variety of specialist fields such as quantum theory, advanced mathematics, and computer science that aren't seen on your typical CV, shrinking the talent pool considerably for companies looking to hire in this nascent, but increasingly competitive, industry.
SEE:Quantum computing's next big challenge: A quantum skills shortage
"It is incredibly small," says Samantha Edmondson, head of talent at British quantum computing startup, Universal Quantum, which is on a mission to build the world's first million-qubit quantum computer.
"Say if we were looking to hire an experienced quantum physicist that had the kind of expertise we needed, then yes, you're looking at a small handful of academic groups across the world that you can really pick from."
Quantum computers operate on inherently different principles to classical computers, requiring a new approach to problem-solving and a workforce consisting of academic, technical, and businesses expertise.
No one candidate is going to possess all of these. "It involves so many different skills: we need classical hardware engineers, we need software engineers, we need mathematicians, we need simulation and modelling experts," says Edmondson.
"I think the challenge for us is, if we go to hire a classical engineer, they don't have the physics background; if we hire a physicist, they're not used to working with classical hardware engineering analogue design is new to them."
Another fundamental challenge for businesses is getting people interested in technical fields to begin with.
Not only are fewer young people taking IT and STEM-related subjects at school, but research also suggests that younger generations aren't all too confident about their chances of landing a career in tech either.
Robert Liscouski, CEO of Quantum Computing Inc (QCI), says this is reflective of endemic problems in how young people are educated, which doesn't necessarily include skills that are transferrable into the modern, professional workforce. "I think we're not doing a very good job at all of preparing young people for these technology jobs," he tells ZDNet.
"I think we still have this 19th Century education going on that's really focused on educating children so they can work in factories."
Better education, meanwhile, remains out of reach for most. "Where I live in Northern Virginia, we have a couple of academies that are geared for really advanced education in the secondary school and high schoolThe admission requirements in those programmes are so competitive that kids need to be at the absolute top of their game," says Liscouski.
"That's great you want that advanced thinking. But we need to figure out how we kind of bring that into the entire high school system and inculcate these kids into thinking about technology differently."
One solution for the shortage of specialist tech talent is for employers to bring on employees that are not necessarily already experts in the field, and then train them up on the job.
For a field like quantum computing, this still means being selective in the candidates you can hire higher-level education and expertise in mathematics, physics, engineering, and coding are always going to rank highly, for instance. Even so, internships and training programs can help to lower the barriers to entry.
Universal Quantum runs a three-month internship scheme that's open to graduates who hold a master's in physics or mathematics. Typically, interns take on a specific project that they are given total responsibility for, with Universal Quantum providing support through one-on-one mentoring and drop-in sessions with quantum physicists.
SEE:What is quantum computing? Everything you need to know about the strange world of quantum computers
The internship culminates in them presenting their work to a large section of the company. "Typically, we'll speak to them at the beginning and get a sense of what their interests are, and then we'll match that to a company need we have," says Edmondson.
"They'll often say, 'I don't know anything about quantum' or 'I've never worked in quantum,' and we have to reassure them and say 'that's completely fine, we're happy to teach you that when you come here.' That's quite exciting to them."
Liscouski too believes that deep quantum expertise isn't necessarily a requirement for enterprises to begin taking advantage of quantum computing, although he acknowledges that not all companies have the resources to offer comprehensive training programmes. "It's very hard for small companies and it's very hard for medium-sized companies because you don't have that luxury of taking 10% of your workforce out and putting them in training for a period of time," he says.
"Typically, you hire people because you need them now, not because you need them in six months."
One alternative is to target students at university, college, or even school: something that QCI previously offered with its quantum computing clubs, where participants learn to use the company's software, Qatalyst.
"We're moving into actually the academic instructional program, where professors are using our software as part of their curriculum, and we've got a whole curriculum development programme for that," says Liscouski.
"We're trying to push this down to the lowest common denominator in terms of who can access it. We're even trying to get into high schools to help that workforce development."
Qatalyst is a quantum application accelerator that enables end users to transform real-world problems into quantum-ready requests, and then it processes those requests on a combination of classical computers and cloud-based quantum processors, including Ion-Q, D-Wave, and Rigetti.
SEE:Quantum computing: Getting it ready for business
It enables businesses to make use of quantum applications without needing to have their own quantum computers or specialists.
"It's intended to try to put that technology in the hands of folks who are trying to solve business problems without having to be quantum programmers," says Liscouski.
"Our focus on our platform and the development that we've done to connect to any number of quantum platforms, is to disintermediate, or de-emphasise, the need for this high-end talent that's going to make a program run on a quantum computer."
In many ways, QCI proposes a technical solution to a shortage of specialist skills -- although Liscouski acknowledges that technology on its own is not the be-all to end-all. "We still have this shortcoming of all of this talent that's going to make this stuff work at scale," he adds.
"Quantum programmes are different than classical programmes. The way you look at a problem classically is different to the way you look at a problem from a quantum point of viewThinking about those problems requires a different level of thinking than classical computers."
Given the scant interest in technology careers shown by Generation Z, outreach is going to play a significant role in putting burgeoning, next-generation technologies like quantum computing on their radars undoubtedly the first step to addressing any skills gaps.
Edmondson says tech organizations need to become involved in attracting young people at a grassroots level within schools, as well as getting more creative in how they portray opportunities in the tech sector. "It's definitely a responsibility of businesses to try to nurture the talent pool coming forward and undertake outreach that will assist with that and that's just getting young people excited about things," she says.
SEE:Tech jobs have an image problem, and it's making the skills shortage worse
"We set up a lab in Spitalfields Market in London in a huge shipping container and were giving live demonstrations and experiments. People would come in and we'd talk to them about what we were doing and get them excited. That's relatively small-scale right now, but if somebody goes away and because of that becomes excited to learn something or do a new subject, that's a win."
Liscouski says that exposure to new technologies from an early age will also play an important role in equipping the next-generation workforce with key digital skills and have them working on real-world problems. "I think there has to be either post-high school training capability, or post-college training capability, or colleges have to extend and think more broadly about what they're preparing students to do," he adds.
"Because, at the end of the day, quantum computing like any computer that we know of unless there is end-user adoption, unless there is a focus on what problems can be solved, it becomes a science experiment and is just going to stay in the research world."
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Quantum computing skills are hard to find. Here's how companies are tackling the shortage - ZDNet
Quantum computing breakthrough may help us learn about the earliest moments of the universe – TechRadar
Posted: at 1:46 am
The latest breakthrough in the field of quantum computing could pave the way for complex simulations that tell us about the earliest moments of the universe and more.
A team of researchers from the University of Waterloo, Canada, claims to have performed the first ever simulation of baryons (a highly complex type of subatomic particle) on a quantum computer.
To achieve this goal, the researchers paired a traditional computer with a quantum machine in the cloud, and developed from scratch a quantum algorithm that was resource-efficient enough to allow the system to shoulder the workload.
Until now, computers have only been able to simulate the composite elements of baryons (which are made up of three quarks), but the research paper shows its possible to perform detailed quantum simulations with many baryons.
Although the science is complex, the broad significance is this: scientists will be able to simulate aspects of physics completely out of reach for traditional supercomputers.
According to the researchers, the breakthrough represents a landmark step towards overcoming the limitations of classical computing and allowing the massive potential of quantum computers to be realized.
This is an important step forward - it is the first simulation of baryone on a quantum computer ever, said Christine Muschik, faculty member at the Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC). Instead of smashing particles in an accelerator, a quantum computer may one day allow us to simulate these interactions that we use to study the origins of the universe and so much more.
More specifically, researchers will be able to simulate complex lattice gauge theories, which describe the physics of reality. So-called non-Abelian gauge theories are said to be particularly attractive candidates for quantum simulation, as they relate to the stability of matter in the universe.
While the most powerful traditional computers are able to simulate simple non-Abelian gauge theories, only a quantum computer (as has now been proven) can perform the complex simulations necessary to unpack the inner workings of the universe.
Whats exciting about these results for us is that the theory can be made so much more complicated, added Jinglei Zhang, another researcher at the IQC. We can consider simulating matter at higher densities, which is beyond the capability of classical computers.
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Will Quantum Computers Burst The Bitcoin Boom? – Forbes
Posted: at 1:46 am
PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 25: In this photo illustration, a visual representation of the digital ... [+] Cryptocurrency, Bitcoin is displayed in front of the Bitcoin course's graph on June 25, 2019 in Paris, France.
Everyone was stunned when the new mayor of New York City Eric Adams announced he was planning to receive his first three paychecks in Bitcoin, the cryptocurrency thats been dominating the financial headlines for the past year. The mayor of Miami, Francis Suarez, had already announced he would accept his first paycheck 100% in Bitcoin.
The mayoral announcements are still more signs that cryptocurrencies are no longer esoteric investments for the super-rich (or super-crooks) but have entered the financial mainstream.Back in May Deutsche Bank pronounced Bitcoin the third biggest world currency in terms of circulation. Only the euro and the U.S. dollar are bigger.
Mayor Adams himself says he intends to make New York City the center of the cryptocurrency industry.
Of course, the history of markets teaches us that what goes up must eventually come downespecially a commodity like crypto, whose rise has been fueled as much by media hype as by financial realities. Whether the current crypto boom turns out to be a crypto bubble, is impossible to say. What Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies do have going for them are two virtues.
The first is that they are not state-denominated currencies, whose heads around the world have turned out to be inept or corrupt or both.
The other is cryptocurrencys reliance on blockchain, or Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT), to protect and authenticate its transactions.The on-going ledger of cryptocurrency transactions is never stored in any single location, which means no centralized version exists for a hacker to corrupt.Since the data is hosted by millions of computers simultaneously, its accessible to anyone on the internet. But its also protected because after every transaction within the shared ledger; and once all the ledgers match for every computer in the network; the transaction is encrypted with the rest in whats known as a block. The new block is then added to existing previous blocks to form a chain of blockshence the term blockchain.
All in all, blockchain is a built-in security system that prohibits a hacker or attacker from forcing open the distributed ledger without everyone knowing it.
As tech guru George Gilder argues in his book, Life After Google, using blockchain to share but also protect data poses a greater threat to Big Tech dominance of the internet than any government regulation or legislationjust as cryptocurrencies pose a useful challenge to the elites who control our state-denominated currencies.
But as always theres a catch. Blockchain is an adequate safeguard against existing cyber threats, but not against the future one posed by large-scale quantum computers.
As I mentioned in a previous column, blockchains encryption is based on Elliptical Curve Cryptography, which will be vulnerable to factorization by quantum computers that can decrypt the complex algorithms used by asymmetric encryption systems to secure almost all electronic data, including blockchain.The quantum attacker will simply look like another member of the shared ledger, in a cyber assault that will be undetectable and persistent.
CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 19: Traders trade VIX contracts at the Cboe Global Markets exchange ... [+] (previously referred to as CBOE Holdings, Inc.) on December 19, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. Last week the exchange became the first in the Unites States to begin trading Bitcoin futures. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
How vulnerable will cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin be?
Consider: in 2020 the total market cap of cryptocurrencies was $330 billion. Today it is approaching $2 trillion. Institutional investors account for 63% of trading in cryptos, compared to just 10% in 2017, which means a collapse of crypto value is bound to ripple through balance sheets all around Wall Street-and around the world.
Our most recent study conducted here at the Quantum Alliance Initiative done in conjunction with the econometric firm Oxford Economics indicates that a quantum attack on crypto precipitating a 99.2% collapse of value, would inflict $1.865 Trillion in immediate losses to owners, with nearly $1.5 trillion in indirect losses to the whole economy due to that collapse.
All in all, we are looking at a $3.3 trillion blow to the U.S. economy.
Thats a calculation based on cryptos current value. By the time a large-scale quantum computer emerges, by 2030 or so, cryptocurrencies will be even more imbedded in the global financial systemand the losses even greater.
Fortunately, theres a solution. The most immediate is post-quantum cryptography, i.e., deploying algorithm-based encryption that is impenetrable to future quantum attack but also to classical attack right now. Crypto exchanges have already drawn highly damaging attacks, like the one in 2018 on Bithumb, the South Korean crypto-currency exchange, which cost $30 million, or the assault on Poly Network this past August in which cyber thieves stole more than $600 million.
BEIJING, Dec. 4, 2020 A research team including renowned Chinese quantum physicist Pan Jianwei on ... [+] Dec. 4, 2020 announced a significant computing breakthrough, achieving quantum computational advantage. (Photo by An Zhiping/Xinhua via Getty) (Xinhua/An Zhiping via Getty Images)
The National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) is working on standards for post-quantum cryptography for rollout starting in 2024, but there is no reason to wait.Companies in the USA and Canada can offer solutions now, including hybrid solutions that offer the best of both post-quantum and quantum-based technologieswhile others are creating versions of DLT that incorporates quantum solutions from the start.
Make no mistake; regardless of Bitcoin and Ethereums ups and downs in the current marketseven if a Bitcoin bubble burstscrypto currencies are here to stay.Quantum-safe solutions can make sure they are stable and secure for a long time to come.
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Classiq to Collaborate with The Fraunhofer Institute and other Leading Universities on New Methods for Industrial Quantum Use – HPCwire
Posted: at 1:46 am
TEL-AVIV, Nov. 12, 2021 Classiq, which provides a breakthrough Quantum Algorithm Design platform, announced today that it is collaborating with the Fraunhofer Institute, the leading organization for applied research in Europe, as well as other major academic centers, on the development of software for industrial use of quantum computers.
The SEQUOIA Project, part of the Competence Center Quantum Computing Baden-Wrttemberg, focuses on the software engineering of industrial hybrid quantum applications and algorithms. The project is researching, developing, and testing new methods, tools, and procedures for quantum computing in order to enable future industrial use. It includes the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO, then Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA, the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics IAF, the University of Tubingen, the FZI Research Center, and the University of Stuttgart with the institutes IAAS and HLRS.
The SEQUOIA project focuses on three central aspects with the main results:
The quantum application center with applications and algorithms, e.g. for manufacturing, production, logistics, energy, and engineering.
The quantum software component kit as the basis for the implementation of application components, algorithms, hybrid quantum-classical solutions, and demonstrators. The quantum software engineering model with its own methods, procedures, technologies, and experiences from the project.
We are pleased for the opportunity to collaborate with the Fraunhofer Institute on groundbreaking software work for the benefit of industrial customers, says Shai Lev, Head of Business Development and Partnerships at Classiq, this collaboration leverages the unique abilities of Classiq and Fraunhofer, two leaders in their fields.
Specifically, Classiq would work within the SEQUOIA framework and with the SEQUOIA partners on two main problems:
Solving mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) problems with state-of-the art (gate-based) quantum computers. MILP problems are a special class of linear programming problems that is used for production planning and scheduling, optimization of cellular and telecommunications networks, and more.
Solving coupled partial differential equations with the Harrow Hassidim Lloyd (HHL) quantum algorithm. These are applicable to numerous problems such as fluid flow, electrodynamics, and more.
We welcome Classiq into the Sequoia partnership, says Dr. ChristianTutschku, from the Fraunhofer Institute. We are looking forward to work with the Classiq team on novel methods of generating quantum algorithms.
About Classiq
Quantum is disrupting computing. Classiqs Quantum Algorithm Design platform is revolutionizing quantum software development. Forward-thinking companies use our platform to solve real-world problems with quantum circuits that could not be created otherwise. Our patented breakthrough technology automatically transforms high-level functional models into optimized quantum circuits for a wide range of back-end systems, turning months into minutes of work and making it possible to harness the true power of todays andtomorrows computers.To learn more, follow Classiq onLinkedIn,TwitterorYouTubeor visitwww.classiq.io.
Source: Classiq
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QCI Qatalyst Selected by BMW Group and Amazon Web Services – GlobeNewswire
Posted: at 1:46 am
LEESBURG, Va., Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Quantum Computing Inc. (Nasdaq: QUBT), a leader in bridging the power of classical and quantum computing, announced that its Qatalyst ready-to-run quantum software was selected as one of three finalists for the second and final round of the BMW Group and Amazon Web Services (AWS) Quantum Computing Challenge for the Vehicle Sensor Placement use case.
The Quantum Computing Challenge invited the quantum community to apply innovations in quantum computing to real world problems in industrial applications. The use case problems presented in the challenge represent critical commercial applications that demonstrate the real-world value of quantum computing.
BMW stated that its goal with the challenge is to tap into additional innovative power, inspire new thinking, and create opportunities for quantum builders to work with BMW on meaningful business problems.
The Vehicle Sensor Placement use case challenges participants to find optimal configurations of sensors for a given vehicle so that it can reliably detect obstacles in different driving scenarios using quantum computing or nature-inspired optimization approaches. The number of sensors per car is expected to increase significantly as autonomous driving becomes more common. Vehicles need sensors to gather data from as large a portion of their surroundings as possible, but each sensor adds additional costs, so optimizing the sensor placement uses genetic algorithms. The goal of the challenge is to use quantum computing techniques to optimize the positions of sensors, enabling maximum coverage while keeping costs to a minimum.
This Challenge is yet another step in showcasing quantum computings potential for commercial applications and real-world business problem solving, said Bob Liscouski, CEO of QCI. We are pleased that we have been selected to participate in the final level of competition, and our team will work hard to demonstrate the power of Qatalyst. Regardless of the final outcome, we believe that the applications for quantum computing will significantly increase over the coming years, and QCI is well positioned to be a key player.
About Quantum Computing Inc. Quantum Computing Inc. (QCI) (Nasdaq: QUBT) is focused on accelerating the value of quantum computing for real-world business solutions. The companys flagship product, Qatalyst, is the first software to bridge the power of classical and quantum computing, hiding complexity and empowering SMEs to solve complex computational problems today. QCIs expert team in finance, computing, security, mathematics and physics has over a century of experience with complex technologies; from leading edge supercomputing innovations, to massively parallel programming, to the security that protects nations. Connect with QCI on LinkedIn and @QciQuantum on Twitter. For more information about QCI, visit http://www.quantumcomputinginc.com.
About the BMW Group Quantum Computing Challenge The BMW Group Quantum Computing Challengeis open to participants from research groups and companies worldwide. The challenge is organized into two rounds. In the first round, participants need to submit a well-documented concept proposal for one of four use case challenges. In the second and final round, teams with the top three submissions in each use case will be asked to build out their solutions. The final, virtual presentation to the competitions judging panel, including domain experts from BMW and AWS will take place in December. The winners will be announced at theQ2B quantum computing industry conference(Dec. 79).
Important Cautions Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined within Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. By their nature, forward-looking statements and forecasts involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the near future. Those statements include statements regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of Quantum Computing (Company), and members of its management as well as the assumptions on which such statements are based. Prospective investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements.
The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect changed conditions. Statements in this press release that are not descriptions of historical facts are forward-looking statements relating to future events, and as such all forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements may contain certain forward-looking statements pertaining to future anticipated or projected plans, performance and developments, as well as other statements relating to future operations and results. Any statements in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be considered to be forward-looking statements. Words such as may, will, expect, believe, anticipate, estimate, intends, goal, objective, seek, attempt, aim to, or variations of these or similar words, identify forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those described in Item 1A in the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is expressly incorporated herein by reference, and other factors as may periodically be described in the Companys filings with the SEC.
Qatalyst is the trademark of Quantum Computing Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Company Contact: Robert Liscouski, CEO Quantum Computing, Inc. +1 (703) 436-2161 Email Contact
Investor Relations Contact: Ron Both or Grant Stude CMA Investor Relations +1 (949) 432-7566 Email Contact
Media Relations Contact: Bob Geller Fusion Public Relations +1 (917) 816-0562 qci@fusionpr.com
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QCI Qatalyst Selected by BMW Group and Amazon Web Services - GlobeNewswire
This Week’s Awesome Tech Stories From Around the Web (Through November 13) – Singularity Hub
Posted: at 1:46 am
COMPUTING
Two of Worlds Biggest Quantum Computers Made in China Charles Q. Choi | IEEE Spectrum scientists in China have tested two different quantum computers on what they say are more challenging tasks than [Googles] Sycamore faced and showed faster results. They note their work points to an unambiguous quantum computational advantage.i
Alternative Rocket Builder SpinLaunch Completes First Test Flight Michael Sheetz | CNBC The company is developing a launch system that uses kinetic energy as its primary method to get off the groundwith a vacuum-sealed centrifuge spinning the rocket at several times the speed of sound before releasing. This is about building a company and a space launch system that is going to enter into the commercial markets with a very high cadence and launch at the lowest cost in the industry, SpinLaunch CEO Jonathan Yaney told CNBC.
Scientists Build Tiny Robot That Could Deliver Drugs With Amazing Accuracy Julian Dossett | CNET [A] team of scientists at [ETH Zurich] has built a microrobot thats inspired by the movement of starfish larva. Their yet-to-be-named robot measures just a quarter of a millimeter across and swims through liquid by moving tiny surface hairs, or cilia, found on all kinds of microorganisms, including newborn starfish.
Wind and Solar Could Meet 85 Percent of Current Electricity Needs K. Holt | Engadget Windandsolar powercould meet around 85 percent of US electricity needs, according to a paper published inNature Communications. Batteries, capacity overbuilding and other storage options could increase that figure. A blend of wind and solar power should be enough to meet most of the current energy needs in advanced, industrialized nations, according to the study.
An E. Coli Biocomputer Solves a Maze by Sharing the Work Siobhan Roberts | MIT Technology Review this multitalented bacterium has a new trick: it can solve a classic computational maze problem using distributed computingdividing up the necessary calculations among different types of genetically engineered cells. This neat feat is a credit to synthetic biology, which aims to rig up biological circuitry much like electronic circuitry and to program cells as easily as computers.
Lidar Uncovers Hundreds of Lost Maya and Olmec Ruins Kiona N. Smith | Wired Over the last several years, lidar surveys have revealedtens of thousands of irrigation channels, causeways, and fortresses across Maya territory, which now spans the borders of Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize. Infrared beams can penetrate dense foliage to measure the height of the ground, which often reveals features like long-abandoned canals or plazas.The results have shown that Maya civilization was more extensive, and more densely populated, than we previously realized.
The Long Search for a Computer That Speaks Your Mind Adam Rogers | Wired The trick is to use data from the brain to synthesize speech in real time so users can practice and the machine can learn. New brain computer interface systems are getting there. The endgame, probably half a decade away, will be some unification of accuracy and intelligibility with real-time audio. Thats the common direction all of the groups doing this are going towarddoing it in real time, Anumanchipalli says.i
AR Is Where the Real Metaverse Is Going to Happen Steven Levy | Wired iOur overarching goal is to help bring the metaverse to life, Mark Zuckerberg told his workforce in June. [Niantic CEO John] Hanke hates this idea. Hes read all the science fiction books and seen all the films that first imagined the metaverseall great fun, and allwrong. He believes that his vision, unlikevirtual reality, will make the real world better without encouraging people to totally check out of it.
Image Credit: Shubham Dhage / Unsplash
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This Week's Awesome Tech Stories From Around the Web (Through November 13) - Singularity Hub