Quantum technologies are increasingly pervasive, underpinning the operation of numerous electronic, optical and medical devices. Today, we are also witnessing rapid advancements in quantum computing and communication. However, access to quantum technologies in computation remains largely limited to professionals in research organisations and high-tech industries. This paper demonstrates how traditional neural networks can be transformed into neuromorphic quantum models, enabling anyone with a basic understanding of undergraduate-level machine learning to create quantum-inspired models that mimic the functioning of the human brain -- all using a standard laptop. We present several examples of these quantum machine learning transformations and explore their potential applications, aiming to make quantum technology more accessible and practical for broader use. The examples discussed in this paper include quantum-inspired analogues of feedforward neural networks, recurrent neural networks, Echo State Network reservoir computing and Bayesian neural networks, demonstrating that a quantum approach can both optimise the training process and equip the models with certain human-like cognitive characteristics.
Quantum technologies are increasingly pervasive, underpinning the operation of numerous electronic, optical and medical devices. Today, we are also witnessing rapid advancements in quantum computing and communication. However, access to quantum technologies in computation remains largely limited to professionals in research organisations and high-tech industries. This paper demonstrates how traditional neural networks can be transformed into neuromorphic quantum models, enabling anyone with a basic understanding of undergraduate-level machine learning to create quantum-inspired models that mimic the functioning of the human brain -- all using a standard laptop. We present several examples of these quantum machine learning transformations and explore their potential applications, aiming to make quantum technology more accessible and practical for broader use. The examples discussed in this paper include quantum-inspired analogues of feedforward neural networks, recurrent neural networks, Echo State Network reservoir computing and Bayesian neural networks, demonstrating that a quantum approach can both optimise the training process and equip the models with certain human-like cognitive characteristics.
Quantum technologies are increasingly pervasive, underpinning the operation of numerous electronic, optical and medical devices. Today, we are also witnessing rapid advancements in quantum computing and communication. However, access to quantum technologies in computation remains largely limited to professionals in research organisations and high-tech industries. This paper demonstrates how traditional neural networks can be transformed into neuromorphic quantum models, enabling anyone with a basic understanding of undergraduate-level machine learning to create quantum-inspired models that mimic the functioning of the human brain—all using a standard laptop. We present several examples of these quantum machine learning transformations and explore their potential applications, aiming to make quantum technology more accessible and practical for broader use. The examples discussed in this paper include quantum-inspired analogues of feedforward neural networks, recurrent neural networks, Echo State Network reservoir computing, and Bayesian neural networks, demonstrating that a quantum approach can both optimise the training process and equip the models with certain human-like cognitive characteristics.
This chapter offers a clear and accessible introduction to the field of quantum-inspired neural computing. This area combines ideas from quantum mechanics with traditional neural network models to create new possibilities in machine learning and optimization metaheuristic algorithms. Unlike actual quantum computing, quantum-inspired approaches work on classical computers but borrow key concepts like superposition, entanglement, and probabilistic behaviour to improve how neural networks learn and process information. The study begins by explaining why researchers are interested in using quantum principles in neural networks. It then introduces the basic mathematical ideas behind these concepts, such as quantum states and transformations, and shows how they can be used to design more powerful and flexible learning systems. It focuses on discussing current models, outlining the distinctions between quantum-inspired and true quantum systems, and evaluating the potential benefits and challenges of this approach. In addition, Quantum-inspired neural computing introduces a novel framework that bridges classical artificial intelligence with principles derived from quantum mechanics. By simulating quantum behaviours on classical hardware, it opens new avenues for developing more adaptive and efficient learning models. This emerging approach offers promising advantages in areas such as optimization, parallel processing, and high-dimensional data representation. Finally, despite its potential, the field faces notable limitations and challenges. These include the lack of limited theoretical formalization, and difficulties in scaling models for complex real-world applications. Moreover, distinguishing genuine quantum-inspired advantages from conservative algorithmic improvements remains an current research apprehension.
Contemporary machine learning (ML) systems excel in recognising and classifying images with remarkable accuracy. However, like many computer software systems, they can fail by generating confusing or erroneous outputs or by deferring to human operators to interpret the results and make final decisions. In this paper, we employ the recently proposed quantum tunnelling neural networks (QT-NNs) inspired by human brain processes alongside quantum cognition theory to classify image datasets while emulating human perception and judgment. Our findings suggest that the QT-NN model provides compelling evidence of its potential to replicate human-like decision-making. We also reveal that the QT-NN model can be trained up to 50 times faster than its classical counterpart.
The convergence of quantum computing and neuromorphic engineering represents a promising frontier for next-generation artificial intelligence. Hybrid quantum-neuromorphic intelligence is emerging as an alternative to conventional von Neumann computing by combining the strengths of both paradigms. Quantum systems provide powerful capabilities for optimization, simulation, and complex problem solving, while neuromorphic systems enable energy-efficient, event-driven processing inspired by biological neural networks. Their integration offers new opportunities to address challenges related to computational complexity, scalability, energy consumption, and adaptive learning. Quantum machine learning, quantum neural networks, spiking neural networks, hybrid optimization approaches, and applications in healthcare, smart cities, cybersecurity, and autonomous systems. It also highlights explainability, ethical considerations, and future research directions, concluding that quantum-neuromorphic intelligence could become a key enabler of future AI industries and advanced intelligent systems.
Quantum neuromorphic computing physically implements neural networks in brain-inspired quantum hardware to speed up their computation. In this perspective article, we show that this emerging paradigm could make the best use of the existing and near future intermediate size quantum computers. Some approaches are based on parametrized quantum circuits and use neural network-inspired algorithms to train them. Other approaches, closer to classical neuromorphic computing, take advantage of the physical properties of quantum oscillator assemblies to mimic neurons and synapses to compute. We discuss the different implementations of quantum neuromorphic networks with digital and analog circuits, highlight their respective advantages, and review exciting recent experimental results.
Quantum machine learning has the potential for broad industrial applications, and the development of quantum algorithms for improving the performance of neural networks is of particular interest given the central role they play in machine learning today. We present quantum algorithms for training and evaluating feedforward neural networks based on the canonical classical feedforward and backpropagation algorithms. Our algorithms rely on an efficient quantum subroutine for approximating inner products between vectors in a robust way, and on implicitly storing intermediate values in quantum random access memory for fast retrieval at later stages. The running times of our algorithms can be quadratically faster in the size of the network than their standard classical counterparts since they depend linearly on the number of neurons in the network, and not on the number of connections between neurons. Furthermore, networks trained by our quantum algorithm may have an intrinsic resilience to overfitting, as the algorithm naturally mimics the effects of classical techniques used to regularize networks. Our algorithms can also be used as the basis for new quantum-inspired classical algorithms with the same dependence on the network dimensions as their quantum counterparts but with quadratic overhead in other parameters that makes them relatively impractical.