In Geneva, a new institute has been inaugurated, with its founders expressing the intention of scientists to leverage the immense emerging power of quantum computers for the common good.
The Open Quantum Institute has issued a call to researchers worldwide to identify the most promising future applications for the rapidly emerging quantum technology.
The emphasis is on ensuring that these applications are open and accessible to everyone.
Peter Brabeck-Latmathe, the chairman of the science and diplomacy platform GESDA, which conceived the project, stated that quantum computing has the potential to revolutionize almost everything.
He pointed out that the expected potency of the future technology could be 1,000 to 10,000 times greater than the current computing power.
[adinserter name="One"]Brabeck-Latmathe stressed the importance of proactive thinking about governance to ensure the responsible and beneficial use of quantum computing.
During a ceremony held late Tuesday at CERN, Europe’s science lab where the institute will be located during its three-year pilot period, experts summarized discussions following a day of workshops that focused on various visions for the institute’s role.
[adinserter name="Two"]Ozge Aydogan of the United Nations-run SDG Lab addressed the importance of reflecting on the duality of the technology.
While it can be an asset for the future, there is also a significant risk associated with it.
Fabiola Gianotti, chief of CERN, expressed that the landmark nuclear research lab is the ideal location for the institute.
[adinserter name="Three"]She mentioned that the center would benefit from CERN’s long experience in utilizing scientific and technological progress for the benefit of society.
Quantum computing integrates advancements in the scientific understanding of the subatomic world with leaps in information theory to solve mathematical problems that are currently impossible for conventional computers.
[adinserter name="Four"]Unlike traditional computers that process information in bits representing 0 or 1, quantum computers use qubits, which can be a combination of both states simultaneously, allowing them to address more complex problems.
Commercial quantum computers are still believed to be up to a decade away, and the full development of the technology is not expected until around 2050.
[adinserter name="Five"]Brabeck-Latmathe, the former head of Swiss food giant Nestle, emphasized the importance of ensuring that such a powerful technology is governed openly and transparently, avoiding control by a handful of giant tech companies.
With quantum computing still in the development stage, there is an opportunity to contemplate the potential impact of these new technologies and consider ethical considerations.
[adinserter name="Six"]The institute’s focus is on identifying applications of the technology that can contribute to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Quantum computing simulations and calculations, for example, could assist in determining how to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to combat climate change.
[adinserter name="Seven"]Additionally, it has the potential to predict patterns of antibiotic resistance and identify new, more effective chemical compounds for combating deadly bacteria.
To expedite the search for the best applications of quantum technology, GESDA has collaborated with Google and the non-profit tech group XPrize to launch a competition.
[adinserter name="Eight"]The competition, initiated on Tuesday, calls for researchers worldwide to submit proposals, with $5 million in prizes awarded to the teams with the best projects at the end of the three-year competition.
