Quantum computing promises to usher in a new era of computing that is millions of times faster than computers today and can solve problems that today's machines can't. Here we look at what this technology could do.

1. What Is Quantum
Quantum Computing?
(And How Excited
Should We Be?)
Supremacy And

2. © 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Title
Text
IntroductionIntroduction
Quantum computing promises to usher in a new era of computing that is millions of
times faster than computers today and can solve problems that today's machines can't.
Here we look at what this technology could do.
In 2019, Google announced with much fanfare that it had achieved “quantum
supremacy” –the point at which a quantum computer can perform a task that would be
impossible for a conventional computer (or would take so long it would be entirely
impractical for a conventional computer).
What Is Quantum Supremacy And Quantum
Computing? (And How Excited Should We Be?)

3. © 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Title
Text
IntroductionIntroduction
To achieve quantum supremacy, Google’s quantum computer completed a calculation
in 200 seconds that Google claimed would have taken even the most powerful
supercomputer 10,000 years to complete. IBM loudly protested this claim, stating that
Google had massively underestimated the capacity of its supercomputers (hardly
surprising since IBM also has skin in the quantum computing game). Nonetheless,
Google’s announcement was hailed as a significant milestone in the quantum computing
journey.
What Is Quantum Supremacy And Quantum
Computing? (And How Excited Should We Be?)

4. © 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
But what exactly is quantum computing?
Not sure what quantum computing is? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. In very simple terms,
quantum computers are unimaginably fast computers capable of solving seemingly
unsolvable problems. If you think your smartphone makes computers from the 1980s
seem painfully old fashioned, quantum computers will make our current state-of-the-art
technology look like something out of the Stone Age. That’s how big a leap quantum
computing represents.
Traditional computers are, at their heart, very fast versions of the simplest electronic
calculators. They are only capable of processing one “bit” of information at a time, in the
form of a binary 1 or 0. Each bit is like an on/off switch – with 0 meaning "off" and 1
meaning "on." Every task you complete on a traditional computer, no matter how
complex, is ultimately using millions of bits, each one representing either a 0 or a 1.

5. © 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
But what exactly is quantum computing?
But quantum computers don’t rely on bits; they use “qubits”. And qubits, thanks to the
marvels of quantum mechanics, aren’t limited to being either on or off. They could be
both at the same time, or exist somewhere in between. That’s because quantum
computing harnesses the peculiar phenomena that take place at a sub-atomic level – in
particular, the ability of quantum particles to exist in multiple states at the same time
(known as “superposition”).
This allows quantum computers to look at many different variables at the same time,
which means they can crunch through more scenarios in a much shorter space of time
than even the fastest computers available today.

6. © 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
What does this mean for our everyday lives?
Reaching quantum supremacy is clearly an important milestone, yet we’re still a long way
from commercially available quantum computers hitting the market. Right now, current
quantum computing work is limited to labs and major tech players like Google, IBM, and
Microsoft.
Most technology experts, myself included, would admit we don’t yet fully understand how
quantum computing will transform our world – we just know that it will. It’s like trying to
imagine how the internet or social media would transform our world before they were
introduced.
Here are just some of the ways in which quantum computers could be put to good use:
 Strengthening cyber security. Quantum computers could change the landscape of
data security by creating virtually unbreakable encryption.
 Accelerating artificial intelligence. Quantum computing could provide a massive
boost to AI, since these superfast computers will prove far more effective at recognizing
patterns in data.

7. © 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
What does this mean for our everyday lives?
 Modeling traffic flows to improve our cities. Modeling traffic is an enormously
complex process with a huge number of variables, but researchers at Volkswagen have
been running quantum pilot programs to model and optimize the flow of traffic
through city centers in Beijing, Barcelona, and Lisbon.
 Making the weather forecast more accurate. Just about anything that involves
complex modeling could be made more efficient with quantum computing. The UK’s
Met Office has said that it believes quantum computers offer the potential for carrying
out far more advanced modeling than is currently possible today, and it is one of the
avenues being explored for building next-generation forecasting systems.
 Developing new medicines. Biotech startup ProteinQure has been exploring the
potential of quantum computing in modeling protein, a key route in drug
development. In other words, quantum computing could lead to the discovery of
effective new drugs for some of the world’s biggest killers, including cancer and heart
disease.

8. © 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
What does this mean for our everyday lives?
Most experts agree that truly useful quantum computing is not likely to be a feature of
everyday life for some time. And even when quantum computers are commercially
available, we as individuals will hardly be lining up to buy one. For most of the tasks we
carry out on computers and smartphones, a traditional binary computer or smartphone
will be all we need. But at an industry and society level, quantum computing could bring
many exciting opportunities in the future.
Quantum computing is just one of 25 technology trends that I believe will transform our
society. Read more about these key trends – including plenty of real-world examples – in
my new book, Tech Trends in Practice: The 25 Technologies That Are Driving The 4th
Industrial Revolution.

9. Bernard Marr is an internationally best-selling author, popular keynote speaker, futurist, and a
strategic business & technology advisor to governments and companies. He helps
organisations improve their business performance, use data more intelligently, and
understand the implications of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data,
blockchains, and the Internet of Things.
LinkedIn has ranked Bernard as one of the world’s top 5 business influencers. He is a frequent
contributor to the World Economic Forum and writes a regular column for Forbes. Every day
Bernard actively engages his 1.5 million social media followers and shares content that
reaches millions of readers.
Visit The
Website
© 2020 Bernard Marr , Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved© 2017 Bernard Marr , Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
© 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Bernard Marr is an internationally best-selling author, popular keynote speaker, futurist, and a
strategic business & technology advisor to governments and companies. He helps
organisations improve their business performance, use data more intelligently, and
understand the implications of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data,
blockchains, and the Internet of Things.
LinkedIn has ranked Bernard as one of the world’s top 5 business influencers. He is a frequent
contributor to the World Economic Forum and writes a regular column for Forbes. Every day
Bernard actively engages his 1.5 million social media followers and shares content that
reaches millions of readers.
Visit The
Website

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