The expectations arising from the latest achievements in the quantum computing field are causing that researchers coming from classical artificial intelligence to be fascinated by this new paradigm. In turn, quantum computing, on the road towards usability, needs classical procedures. Hybridization is, in these circumstances, an indispensable step but can also be seen as a promising new avenue to get the most from both computational worlds. Nonetheless, hybrid approaches have now and will have in the future many challenges to face, which, if ignored, will threaten the viability or attractiveness of quantum computing for real-world applications. To identify them and pose pertinent questions, a proper characterization of the hybrid quantum computing field, and especially hybrid solvers, is compulsory. With this motivation in mind, the main purpose of this work is to propose a preliminary taxonomy for classifying hybrid schemes, and bring to the fore some questions to stir up researchers minds about the real challenges regarding the application of quantum computing.
The expectations arising from the latest achievements in the quantum computing field are causing that researchers coming from classical artificial intelligence to be fascinated by this new paradigm. In turn, quantum computing, on the road towards usability, needs classical procedures. Hybridization is, in these circumstances, an indispensable step but can also be seen as a promising new avenue to get the most from both computational worlds. Nonetheless, hybrid approaches have now and will have in the future many challenges to face, which, if ignored, will threaten the viability or attractiveness of quantum computing for real-world applications. To identify them and pose pertinent questions, a proper characterization of the hybrid quantum computing field, and especially hybrid solvers, is compulsory. With this motivation in mind, the main purpose of this work is to propose a preliminary taxonomy for classifying hybrid schemes, and bring to the fore some questions to stir up researchers minds about the real challenges regarding the application of quantum computing.
Recent advances in quantum computing have sparked excitement that this new computing paradigm could solve previously intractable problems. However, due to the faulty nature of current quantum hardware and quantum-intrinsic noise, the full potential of quantum computing is still years away. Hybrid quantum-classical computing has emerged as a possible compromise that achieves the best of both worlds. In this paper, we look at hybrid quantum-classical computing from a software engineering perspective and present the first empirical study focused on characterizing and evaluating recurrent issues faced by developers of hybrid quantum-classical applications. The study comprised a thorough analysis of 531 real-world issues faced by developers - including software faults, hardware failures, quantum library errors, and developer mistakes - documented in discussion threads from forums dedicated to quantum computing. By qualitatively analyzing such forum threads, we derive a comprehensive taxonomy of recurring issues in hybrid quantum-classical applications that can be used by both application and platform developers to improve the reliability of hybrid applications. The study considered how these recurring issues manifest and their causes, determining that hybrid applications are crash-dominant (74% of studied issues) and that errors were predominantly introduced by application developers (70% of issues). We conclude by identifying recurring obstacles for developers of hybrid applications and actionable recommendations to overcome them.
Hybrid computing models, which integrate both classical and quantum systems, represent a promising frontier in enhancing computational power and efficiency. Classical computing systems, while highly efficient for a broad range of tasks, encounter significant limitations when addressing complex, large-scale problems such as optimization, cryptography, and molecular simulations. Quantum computing, on the other hand, offers exponential speedup for specific algorithms, particularly in areas like factorization, search, and simulation of quantum systems. However, quantum systems are not yet mature enough to replace classical systems entirely, due to issues like error rates, qubit coherence, and the need for cryogenic environments. As a result, hybrid models are emerging as the most viable solution, combining the strengths of both paradigms to tackle computationally intensive tasks more efficiently. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the development and application of hybrid computing models. It explores how these models leverage the parallel processing power of quantum systems while utilizing the robustness and data handling capabilities of classical systems. We discuss various architectures proposed for hybrid computing, focusing on their scalability, efficiency, and real-world applications across industries such as healthcare, finance, cryptography, and artificial intelligence. Additionally, we examine the challenges involved in integrating classical and quantum systems, including synchronization, resource management, and algorithm development. The paper concludes with future directions for hybrid computing, emphasizing the potential for these models to revolutionize fields that rely on high-performance computing by offering unprecedented computational capabilities. In summary, hybrid computing models stand at the intersection of classical and quantum technologies, providing a synergistic approach to solving some of the most challenging computational problems faced today.
The entwining of quantum computing with classical machine learning has proven to be one of the most promising frontiers of artificial intelligence, as it possesses the potential to speed up intricate computations in ways that classical systems will never be able to achieve. This study delves into the theoretical and practical implications of hybrid quantum-classical approaches in machine learning, while also examining their advantages, limitations, and applicability in different domains. Utilizing quantum entanglement and parallelism, hybrid solutions also have the potential to process high-dimensional data, optimize complex functions, and facilitate pattern recognition tasks more efficiently. However, noise, decoherence, and limited qubit connectivity on current hardware pose considerable barriers to practical implementations. The authors discuss hybrid architectures like quantum-enhanced optimizers and variational quantum circuits which include classical pre- and post-processing to alleviate quantum limitations. Moreover, a comparative study is performed to show the effectiveness of hybrid models comparing with classical machine learning state-of-the-art in natural language processing, computer vision and financial modeling. Results indicate that although hybrid quantum–classical approaches provide significant gains in optimization and computational efficiency; these benefits remain limited by hardware limitations and the scalability of quantum algorithms. With these considerations in mind, the paper offers guidance for targeting future research directions in quantum machine learning, including advances in quantum error correction, quantum hardware scalability, and new algorithmic approaches. Additional advancements needed and notably, the study focused on a smaller representation of data Since quantum computing is relatively new and researchers are still exploring its application, it is still early days in terms of machine learning models that are solely, intrinsically quantum.
The field of quantum computing is presently undergoing a significant transition. Even if quantum computers are now so large and capable that they can only be used under certain limitations, be conventionally emulated, it is still unknown which applications can benefit from a quantum advantage. With an emphasis on artificial intelligence (AI) and its applications as some of the most significant key technologies of our time, this provided an excellent starting point for looking beyond the already demonstrated acceleration of a few specific classical computing tasks by quantum computers, such as unstructured search and prime factorization. Actually, the goal of Quantum Artificial Intelligence (QAI) is to merge the two worlds for each’s benefit. Stated differently, QAI research focuses on using quantum computing to solve computationally challenging AI problems and, conversely, using AI to address the difficulties associated with developing and running quantum computing systems. The creation of direct quantum or hybrid quantum-classical algorithms for problem solving and the examination of their possible benefits over the best classical alternatives are of particular interest.
Quantum computing, as an emerging computing paradigm, is expected to tackle problems such as quantum chemistry, optimization, quantum chemistry, information security, and artificial intelligence, which are intractable with using classical computing. Quantum computing hardware and software continue to develop rapidly, but they are not expected to realize universal quantum computation in the next few years. Therefore, the use of quantum hardware to solve practical problems in the near term has become a hot topic in the field of quantum computing. Exploration of the applications of near-term quantum hardware is of great significance in understanding the capability of quantum hardware and promoting the practical process of quantum computing. Hybrid quantum-classical algorithm (also known as variational quantum algorithm) is an appropriate model for near-term quantum hardware. In the hybrid quantum-classical algorithm, classical computers are used to maximize the power of quantum devices. By combining quantum computing with machine learning, the hybrid quantum-classical algorithm is expected to achieve the first practical application of quantum computation and play an important role in the studying of quantum computing. In this review, we introduce the framework of hybrid quantum-classical algorithm and its applications in quantum chemistry, quantum information, combinatorial optimization, quantum machine learning, and other fields. We further discuss the challenges and future research directions of the hybrid quantum-classical algorithm.
This chapter discusses the intersection of quantum computing, artificial intelligence and neuromorphic engineering as a basis of the next generation hybrid intelligent systems. It describes the role of quantum processing in providing high-dimensional reasoning and probabilistic optimization, and the ability of neuromorphic hardware to do spiking computations at real time and using less energy. These paradigms and their combination address the scalability and performance constraints of classical AI. The chapter examines major hybrid architectures, neuromorphic-to-quantum encoding algorithms, quantum-assisted learning algorithms, and integrated inference pipelines. Another significant aspect that it brings to the fore is the key areas of application, including robotics, healthcare, finance, and edge intelligence, as well as engineering limitations, moral implications, and safety issues of AGI. An outlook research road identifies essential milestones towards scalable, secure, and interpretable hybrid neuromorphic quantum systems.