Quantum Computing for Enterprise Architecture: Understanding the Basics (Part 1 of 3)
I decided to write a 5 part series about quantum computing and its potential impact on enterprise architecture because, honestly, even though we can't be entirely sure about where this technology is headed at this point in time, it's starting to look a lot like it could be a huge deal in the next few years. I’m not a writer by profession, but an enterprise architect, so I’ll say it plainly - this could be a real game changer the next few years or decades. As someone in the field, I think it’s important to speculate and basically, think about how quantum computing might reshape what we do because we're might as well be looking forward to a major shift in technology here, and it feels like now is the time to at least start wrapping our minds around it.
What Quantum Computers Are and How They Look: An Overview
Quantum computers themselves are often large, intricate machines housed in specialized facilities, featuring cylindrical chambers cooled to near absolute zero to maintain the delicate quantum states of qubits. These systems are manipulated by lasers, microwaves, or magnetic fields.
There are a few challenges with them, like error rates and the need for extreme low temperatures to maintain stability of qubits, but the progress they made so far with them shows that quantum computing could actually become a transformative technology in a few years.
Quantum computing is a fairly new, different way for computers to handle information. Instead of using bits that are either 0 or 1 like regular computers, quantum computers use quantum bits - qubits - that can be both 0 and 1 at the same time, because of something we call superposition. I’ll explain this in a moment in detail but for now, this means that these quantum computers can tackle certain calculations a lot faster than classical ones [1]. For example, while a classical computer checks each possible solution one by one, a quantum computer can consider many possibilities all at once, making it a lot faster [1].
Understanding Quantum Superposition: How Qubits Handle Complex Calculations
Superposition is the fundamental principle that enables a qubit to be in a combination of all possible states. This means that while classical bits process information linearly, qubits process it exponentially, enabling quantum computers to perform complex calculations much faster than their classical counterparts [2].
This doesn’t mean the qubit, which is a subatomic particle in the practical sense, is physically in two states at once, but that it’s described by a mathematical function representing both possibilities. Quantum gates manipulate these qubits, changing their probabilities of being measured as 0 or 1. Measurement collapses the qubit’s state to either 0 or 1, but until then, it represents a blend of both states in a probabilistic manner.
Quantum Entanglement: How Linked Qubits Enable Advanced Computations
Quantum entanglement is a phenomenon where two qubits become linked, so that the state of one directly influences the state of the other, regardless of the distance between them. This is very important, because it helps qubits work together in ways that regular bits can’t [2]. In practice, it means more complex calculations.
Revolutionizing Industries: The Impact of Quantum Computing on Pharmaceuticals, Finance, and Cryptography
Quantum computing has the potential to transform many industries by solving problems that regular computers can't handle. Like in pharmaceuticals, quantum computers could simulate molecules at an atomic level, which might lead to the discovery of new drugs and materials [3], or the understanding of biological processes that are not currently understood. In finance, quantum algorithms could better optimize investment portfolios and manage risks. Or it could could greatly improve cryptography by breaking encryption codes that are unbreakable with classical computers [4]. The possibilities are endless and very exciting.
But quantum computing is still in its infancy, with researchers and companies like IBM, Google, and Microsoft making big efforts in practical applications. Google achieved "quantum supremacy" in 2019, where a quantum processor solved a problem that would take a normal supercomputer thousands of years [4].
References:
1. IBM Research. "What is Quantum Computing?" IBM Quantum. Accessed August 21, 2024.
2. Nielsen, Michael A., and Isaac L. Chuang. *Quantum Computation and Quantum Information: 10th Anniversary Edition*. Cambridge University Press, 2010. Summary available at Cambridge University Press.
3. Lanyon, B.P., Whitfield, J.D., Gillett, G.G. et al. "Towards quantum chemistry on a quantum computer." *Nature Chemistry*, 2010.
4. Google AI Quantum. "Quantum Supremacy Using a Programmable Superconducting Processor”.