Word of the Day: quantum supremacy

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Word of the Day Daily updates on the latest technology terms | December 3, 2019 quantum supremacy Quantum supremacy is the experimental demonstration of a quantum computer's dominance and advantage over a classical, binary computer. To confirm that quantum supremacy has been achieved, a quantum computer must quickly and successfully solve a problem that is too complex for a classical computer to solve. Computer scientists hope that quantum supremacy will lead to the cracking of Shor's algorithm -- a currently impossible calculation that is the basis of most modern cryptography -- as well as advantages in drug development, weather forecasts, stock trades and material designs.   The concept of supremacy is important because if quantum computing becomes the norm, it will make current encryption standards useless. Many experts believe that if a computer is able to prove quantum supremacy, it will be the most disruptive advancement in technology since the Intel 4004 microprocessor was invented in 1971.  Proving quantum supremacy While the problem that will first exemplify quantum supremacy could be any problem that computer scientists want, it is expected that they will prove supremacy with a problem known as random circuit sampling. This problem requires a computer to correctly sample from the possible outputs of a random quantum circuit.   Classical computers do not possess any fast algorithms to generate these samples; therefore, as the array of possible samples increases, classical computers become overwhelmed. If a quantum computer can efficiently pull samples in this instance, then it will prove quantum supremacy.   The U.S. and China have been the most focused on investing in quantum projects along with organizations and businesses such as Google, Microsoft, IBM, Lockheed Martin and Alibaba. Google has developed a 72-qubit quantum processor -- called Bristlecone -- which they claim will achieve quantum supremacy by the end of 2019. Quote of the Day "You don't need to fully understand the algorithms or scientific theory behind how quantum computing works to recognize its potential to disrupt modern cryptography and enterprise IT security." - Nick Martin Related Terms quantum computing qubit superposition quantum cryptography quantum as a service (QaaS) classical computing double slit experiment Learning Center Quantum computers mean cryptography needs to change, and soon As quantum computing gains momentum with practical quantum computers due to come online as early as next year, concerns about post-quantum cryptography are pushed to the forefront. IBM quantum computers' usefulness in sight -- using binoculars IBM's Bob Sutor discusses Big Blue's new quantum systems and computation center, the realities of quantum computing today and how IT pros will code for these systems in the future. 5 quick quantum computing terms to learn Quantum computers use atomic physics to complete extensive calculations in one minute, but you might not be familiar with some quantum computing terms. This guide offers a primer. Quantum supremacy and the path to encryption chaos Widespread use of quantum computing isn't as far into the future as some might think. When it arrives, this powerful computing technology could turn IT security upside down. Researchers race for quantum AI as quantum computing advances Machine learning is likely to be an early application of quantum computers, as researchers and developers look for the key to a more human-like artificial intelligence. Quiz Yourself Demystifying data encryption This five-question multiple-choice quiz tests your understanding of data encryption. This quiz is part of SearchSecurity.com's Data Protection Security School. Stay in Touch For feedback about any of our definitions or to suggest a new definition, please contact us at: editor@whatIs.com FOLLOW US About This E-Newsletter The Word of the Day is published by TechTarget, Inc., 275 Grove Street, Newton, Massachusetts, 02466 US. Click to: Unsubscribe. You are receiving this email because you are a member of TechTarget. When you access content from this email, your information may be shared with the sponsors or future sponsors of that content and with our Partners, see up-to-date Partners List, as described in our Privacy Policy. For additional information, please contact: webmaster@techtarget.com. © 2019 TechTarget, Inc. all rights reserved. Designated trademarks, brands, logos, and service marks are the property of their respective owners. Privacy Policy | Partners List