The initial aspects of Quantum Computing + Artificial Intelligence (a future concept that is really near)
Inside a bit world, it’s really non comprehensive for the entire population (even the technological one) what is the Quantum Computing. Well, maybe for physicists. But the truth is that we are not intended to comprehend the real aspects of a quantum world unless we first understand why it is too important for our technological future.
So, let me explain a quantum state. Don’t know if many of you have already heard of the Schrödinger’s cat experiment, and according to the Wikipedia (I know many of you will look for this information in a faster source like this site, so I am using Wikipedia and there is a good explanation for this experience inside it) “is a thought experiment, sometimes described as a paradox, devised by Austrian physicist Erwin Schrödinger in 1935. It illustrates what he saw as the problem of the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics applied to everyday objects. The scenario presents a cat that may be simultaneously both alive and dead, a state known as a quantum superposition, as a result of being linked to a random subatomic event that may or may not occur.” — Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schr%C3%B6dinger's_cat
Well, what we can understand with this information?
Let’s think about the bit. This we can understand, right?
We have a world dominated by zeros and ones. Positive and negative. All of our technology is based on it. Artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, automation, programming, methodologies, everything. And in our reality, there can be only those possibilities. We can make conditions and transform it in a bit, and this bit transforms into positive or negative in the machine level and its value is going to be the one defined until another value is attributed to it.
Now, what about this bit being turned into another value, simultaneously? A 0 can be turned to 1 immediately according to complexity of a calculation. Or this bit can be 0 and 1 at the same time.
In the actual computing world, this is something that can overpass our comprehension.
Why am I saying this? Because in this situation, a machine can just make a complex calculation process become A LOT easier.
How a processor work today, in our bit world? This is simple, every step of a calculation (everything in the machine level is turned into a logical and mathematical expression to be interpreted by the processor) is sent by electrical signals and the processor is able to understand it. But, the processor can ONLY understand a “sum” or a “minus”. The reason? Zeros and ones.
The processor is not able to understand a division, a multiplication, so every mathematical sentence is reduced to plus and minus.
Inside the quantum world, once the zero can become one or BE one (and vice versa), we are able to work with the qubit (quantum bit).
Most of all, the qubit can work with SEVERAL other states than 0 and 1 (it can be 0, it can be 1, it can be 0 and 1 at the same time, 1 and 0 at the same time, being 1 and become 0 or vice versa…). And a mathematical expression can become more quickly solved by the quantum processor. In which level? This is still something that is under research, but the capacity is totally over our comprehension today.
Ok, now we can start to think this with Artificial Intelligence (Cognitive Computing).
The “initial” aspects of Artificial Intelligence (Cognitive computing)
Well, we know that this is the era we are living now. Cognitive (AI) solutions, artificial intelligence, all the algorithms that we already studied or researched. Analytics. Internet of Things using AI, intelligence to build solutions. Watson (an IBM AI solution). Our actual life. Don’t need to say more than this, once you can get a lot of information about AI solutions inside Medium.
But what if I tell you that this is just the beginning?
The initial aspects of Cognitive Computing + Quantum Computing
Yes, take my last explanation regarding Quantum Computing. Take all you’re feeling about what I explained (shortly, but directly) in this subject, and simply APPLY it to the AI world inside your head. What can you see in your mind?
Ok, it’s not that simple to just apply once all the logical concept were developed in a binary world. But that’s not the problem because Watson has already changed perspectives. That’s the solution for a not-too-distant future.
IBM has solved one of the most critical problems presented by quantum computing in this era: the swap of a qubit. So, we do have knowledge to start developing solutions in our hybrid qubit / bit world — that’s what we have now, we are not yet able to see a full quantum computer and researchers are working on many other problems. But why do we need to start talking about this now?
As I told, all solutions were developed inside our actual world. And that’s why we are not able to live a full quantum technological experience YET. We are in the middle of a technological revolution. Internet of things with cognitive solutions can possibly describe what we are in search for in a 4, 5 years’ period. But once we can instigate developers, product owners, agile coaches, managers, executives, presidents, governments, everybody… we will be able to see the truth behind all this. And the truth is that we are only going to be able to live a fully Cognitive experience if we start to think about the knowledge process, and a bit world cannot give a machine the real possibility to make a decision. The machine can be helpful in the decision effort, but it’s never going to give a definitive solution.
In a quantum world, this can be possible. Because you are working with the qubit, and this can give the machine the power of “doubt”. Our mind can have an idea and change its perspective about this idea in no time. A machine can only change its perspective following a logical defined parameter, and it’s going to keep using the logical structure to make definitions. In a quantum computing world, we will be able to define a machine to “doubt” of something and change its perspective about a subject in no time too.
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