The dream of quantum computers has moved a small step closer to reality with the first successful demonstrations of quantum algorithms in experiments and a novel proposal to build a quantum computer based on the silicon technology used in existing computers. Quantum computers would exploit the ability of quantum particles to be in a superposition of two states at the same time and, for certain tasks, would have the potential to outperform classical computers by many orders of magnitude (Physics World March pp47–52).
The dream of quantum computers has moved a small step closer to reality with the first successful demonstrations of quantum algorithms in experiments and a novel proposal to build a quantum computer based on the silicon technology used in existing computers. Quantum computers would exploit the ability of quantum particles to be in a superposition of two states at the same time and, for certain tasks, would have the potential to outperform classical computers by many orders of magnitude (Physics World March pp47–52).
A quantum computer could, in principle, outperform a classical computer by many orders of magnitude for certain computational tasks. This is why quantum computation, and the whole area of quantum information, is the focus of an increasingly large research effort worldwide. Two recent experiments demonstrate the rapid rate of progress in the field: a group in the US has "entangled" four particles for the first time; while a collaboration between physicists in the UK and Italy has demonstrated "geometric quantum computation".
Researchers in Australia have boldly declared that they will produce a prototype building block for the world's first quantum computer within 12 months. Quantum computers would exploit the ability of a particle to be in two quantum states at the same time, allowing them, in principle, to outperform classical computers by many orders of magnitude in some operations. Staff at the Australian Centre for Quantum Computing Technology say that a device based on two quantum bits, or “qubits”, will be ready within a year. While groups in other countries are pursing different strategies, the Australian scientists are basing their research on silicon chips, which, they say, have the advantage of already being widely used in industry.
There are signs that we are approaching a technical revolution that might take humankind’s computational capabilities to a new level. Quantum Computing leverages the principles of quantum mechanics, enabling the computational power to solve specific problems currently intractable for classical computers (e.g., cracking cryptographic keys). Since we are getting to a point where we can no longer build smaller, more powerful, more efficient devices with conventional methodologies, we need to think of new ways for technological progress. The manufacturing of microchips is reaching its limits in the use of traditional architectures. Hence, new and more advanced technologies need to address the challenges of increasing energy consumption and data processing. Connectivity, scalable architectures and concepts like Cloud Computing and Software-as-a-Service have already helped to scale computational-intense applications in the last years and have attracted the interest of IS researchers (e.g., Benlian et al. 2009 ; Benlian et al. 2018 ; Messerschmidt and Hinz 2013 ). Looking ahead to the next generation, computing will comprise technologies that enable high-performance applications far beyond today’s possibilities. One prominent example with a disruptive potential is Quantum Computing. While there are abundant open questions and directions for further developments, researchers in this area have made substantial progress in the last decade, indicating that, after medical imaging, lasers, and superconductors, another quantum-technological innovation might be approaching. We, therefore, intend to provide an overview of the current state of Quantum Computing research and outline how this new technology might stimulate research in Information Systems.
The recently emerged field called quantum computing uses the ideas of quantum physics to execute computations substantially faster than they could be done on a conventional computer. This chapter provides a detailed discussion, highlighting its evolution, recent advancements, future opportunities, and challenges for future generations. Rapid advancements have been made in quantum computing, driven by breakthroughs in quantum algorithms, hardware technologies, and theoretical understanding. The essential components that constitute quantum computers, known as qubits, or quantum bits, can exist in superposition and entanglement states, enabling parallel computation and complex information processing. Also, recent advancements in quantum computing have demonstrated the feasibility of quantum algorithms for solving certain problems more efficiently than classical algorithms. Quantum supremacy experiments have showcased the ability of quantum computers to outperform classical systems in specific tasks. Additionally, efforts in developing scalable qubit architectures have advanced the practicality of quantum computers.
With quantum computing, we're potentially at the threshold of a revolution in information processing every bit as big as that initiated by the invention of the transistor. If we can develop a quantum computer, we'll be able to do calculations that would be impossible using all the conventional computers in the world working together. True, there are formidable problems, but we have to believe they can be overcome. Do quantum mechanical effects pose a fundamental threat to continued progress in microelectronics? Key world laboratories say 'no'.
Quantum computing represents one of the most profound technological and intellectual advances of the twenty-first century. Rooted in the principles of quantum mechanics and enriched by developments in computer science, mathematics, and engineering, quantum computing offers fundamentally new ways of processing information. By exploiting phenomena such as superposition, entanglement, and quantum interference, quantum computers promise to solve certain classes of problems that remain intractable for even the most powerful classical machines.