The future of quantum computing is hybrid

It will probably take decades to see a truly “universal” quantum computer. But the era of hybrid quantum computers, which combine quantum accelerators and “classic” supercomputers, is near: they could be available within five years!

But what will this actually mean? Here is a review of the challenges that lie ahead.

When we talk about quantum computers, we have to consider two timeframes.

First, there is the long-term effort to create a universal quantum computer, which means a computer that could surpass traditional computers and solve any problem faster than they can. Despite some premature announcements, this is still far away.

In the short-term, the next five years, we will see machines that combine quantum accelerators with “traditional” supercomputers. These hybrid machines will be able to solve some problems significantly faster than traditional ones. They will also play an important role in exploring and understanding the new possibilities that quantum computers can create. 

Hybrid machines, designed for performance

As far as quantum computing is concerned, the best approach is a pragmatic one. We already build hybrid infrastructures that rely on traditional CPUs and GPUs. Tomorrow they will use their quantum equivalent, or QPUs (quantum processing units). At today’s pace, we are convinced that we will be able to build quantum accelerators that will reach 50 to 100 quantum bits (or qubits) within a short period of time.

In itself, this will be a revolution for computing capabilities: if we reach 60 entangled qubits, we will have a machine that will beat any of the current multi-petaflop supercomputers. At 100 qubits, these accelerators will be more powerful than all the world’s supercomputers…combined!

A 100-qubit quantum accelerator will be more powerful than all of today’s supercomputers…combined!

Of course, these qubits will contain errors, but quantum algorithms have made some significant progress in recent years. We can already envision that, in some industries (such as quantum chemistry or machine learning), quantum supremacy could be reached without further error correction.

Atos, the first company to successfully model quantum noise, is among those who made this progress possible.

Quantum computing, a technology in search of its languages

But, without programming languages and algorithms that can put these computing capabilities to good use, quantum computers are worthless! Being able to adopt common standards is as important as the sheer increase in theoretical capabilities.

Without programming languages and algorithms that can put their computing capabilities to good use, quantum computers are worthless.Welcome to the era of hybrid quantum computers !

Within the next 5 years, these machines that associate supercomputers and quantum accelerators will bring a drastic increase in computing power.... and take quantum computing out of research labs and into our daily lives. Here's how:

This is something we have worked towards for some time already – since the time I decided to launch the Atos quantum program. And one of the main goals of this program is to help younger generations learn and experiment with quantum computers. 

This is made possible by the Atos Quantum Learning Machine (QLM), a complete environment that allows students and researchers to develop and experiment with quantum programming. 

With capabilities that no other solution on the market can match, it lets them focus on developing applications and algorithms, without the need to wait for quantum machines to be physically available.

Atos is the only company in the world to offer such a platform, and we have already provided it to some of the greatest public and private research facilities, as well as top-tier universities in the United States, India, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, the UK and France. 

More recently, we have started to offer the myQLM software, an environment that can be set up on a personal computer to design, develop and simulate the execution of quantum programs, before testing them on the Atos Quantum learning Machine.

Why does this matter? Because, on such questions, we need to focus on creating an ecosystem, rather than working behind closed doors.

A triple ecosystem

Exploring the many possibilities offered by quantum computing is something that we cannot do alone. We cannot succeed without researchers, partners, startups – and, just as importantly, students who will be the actors of tomorrow’s quantum revolution. 

We therefore see our role in the context of a triple ecosystem. 

A first circle is our ecosystem of developers and scientists. It goes far beyond the Atos Quantum team, our amazing in-house teams of physicists, mathematicians and computer scientists. By acting to introduce students to quantum computing and help them work with it, we also ensure that we will be able to grow our team in the future.

At their side, we have an ecosystem of world-class researchers. A growing number of academic publications as well as great research labs, such as the Argonne National Laboratory, mention and praise the Atos Quantum Learning Machine.

The Atos scientific council is also home to some of the greatest experts in the field: from Nobel laureate and physicist Serge Haroche, and Fields-medal winner Cedric Villani, to Alain Aspect, who was awarded the CNRS’s gold medal, Daniel Estève, a distinguished member of the Academy of Sciences, Arthur Ekert, a professor of quantum physics at the University of Oxford and the National University of Singapore, and David DiVicenzo, a professor at the Alexander von Humboldt foundation. They guide us, support us, and encourage us to be both ambitious and realistic.

The third circle is our ecosystem of ecosystems. It may sound like a tautology, but it is indeed an essential dimension. Many of our clients, such as the Hartree center in the UK or the French CEA/CCRT, associated with the Teratec cluster, have their own ecosystem. They bring a unique network of partners, universities and startups.

These ecosystems bring us agility and a diversity of viewpoints, exploratory topics and expertise. They also create the flow and cross-fertilization of ideas that are the necessary fuel of scientific revolutions.

The current feeling of energy and excitement around quantum computing brings to mind the one that must have surrounded the first quantum revolution, at the beginning of the 20th century.

The current feeling of energy and excitement around quantum computing brings to mind the one that must have surrounded the first quantum revolution, at the beginning of the 20th century, around a group of young Europeans that included Einstein, Heisenberg and Planck.

And, just like their glorious ancestors, with the help of systems developed by Atos, today’s scientists, students and partners create the conditions for this new revolution – a revolution in which Europe is already a key player.