Neural Architecture Search (NAS) has revolutionized deep learning by automating the design of optimal neural network architectures. However, classical NAS methods suffer from high computational costs and inefficient search processes. In this research, we introduce Quantum-Inspired Neural Architecture Search (Q-NAS), leveraging quantum computing paradigms such as quantum annealing and variational quantum circuits (VQC) to optimize NAS for edge-device deployment. We explore hybrid quantum-classical frameworks that improve search efficiency and reduce energy consumption. Our work provides comparative analyses, proposes novel quantum search strategies, and benchmarks Q-NAS against traditional NAS methods. Experimental results demonstrate significant reductions in search time and computational costs while maintaining or improving model accuracy.
Neural Architecture Search (NAS) has revolutionized deep learning by automating the design of optimal neural network architectures. However, classical NAS methods suffer from high computational costs and inefficient search processes. In this research, we introduce Quantum-Inspired Neural Architecture Search (Q-NAS), leveraging quantum computing paradigms such as quantum annealing and variational quantum circuits (VQC) to optimize NAS for edge-device deployment. We explore hybrid quantum-classical frameworks that improve search efficiency and reduce energy consumption. Our work provides comparative analyses, proposes novel quantum search strategies, and benchmarks Q-NAS against traditional NAS methods. Experimental results demonstrate significant reductions in search time and computational costs while maintaining or improving model accuracy.
The design of deep neural network (DNN) architectures is a complex and computationally intensive task. Traditional methods often rely on manual tuning or random search, which are inefficient in exploring the exponentially large architectural space. This paper proposes a novel approach to DNN architecture optimization leveraging quantum-inspired algorithms. Specifically, we explore the application of algorithms inspired by quantum annealing and quantum Monte Carlo methods to efficiently search for optimal DNN configurations. Our framework aims to minimize the trade-off between accuracy, latency, and energy consumption – key considerations in real-world DNN deployments. We present a theoretical framework and outline a methodology for integrating these quantum-inspired techniques. The core idea is to map the architectural design problem onto a suitable quantum system, allowing for the parallel exploration of potential solutions. This research provides a new direction for automated DNN design, potentially leading to significant improvements in performance and efficiency.
In recent years, machine learning and deep learning have driven advances in domains such as image classification, speech recognition, and anomaly detection by leveraging multi-layer neural networks to model complex data. Simultaneously, quantum computing (QC) promises to address classically intractable problems via quantum parallelism, motivating research in quantum machine learning (QML). Among QML techniques, quantum autoencoders show promise for compressing high-dimensional quantum and classical data. However, designing effective quantum circuit architectures for quantum autoencoders remains challenging due to the complexity of selecting gates, arranging circuit layers, and tuning parameters.
This paper proposes a neural architecture search (NAS) framework that automates the design of quantum autoencoders using a genetic algorithm (GA). By systematically evolving variational quantum circuit (VQC) configurations, our method seeks to identify high-performing hybrid quantum-classical autoencoders for data reconstruction without becoming trapped in local minima. We demonstrate effectiveness on image datasets, highlighting the potential of quantum autoencoders for efficient feature extraction within a noise-prone, near-term quantum era. Our approach lays a foundation for broader application of genetic algorithms to quantum architecture search, aiming for a robust, automated method that can adapt to varied data and hardware constraints.
The process of designing optimal deep neural network architectures is a computationally expensive and often manual task. Traditional gradient-based optimization methods struggle to efficiently explore the vast architectural search space, leading to sub-optimal designs. This research proposes a novel approach leveraging quantum-inspired optimization techniques, specifically quantum annealing, to accelerate the architecture search process. We formulate the architecture search problem as a minimization task within a quantum annealing landscape. The objective function is designed to reflect the performance metrics of a given neural network architecture. Our approach offers a potentially more efficient method for discovering high-performing architectures by harnessing the principles of quantum mechanics, particularly superposition and tunneling, to navigate the complex search space. The core claim is that gradient-based optimization is often inefficient for this task, and quantum annealing provides a viable alternative. This paper outlines the theoretical framework and proposes an initial methodology for applying quantum annealing to deep neural network architecture search.
Quantum neural architecture search aims to automate the design of parameterized quantum circuits (PQCs) within quantum neural networks (QNNs), where learning performance is highly sensitive to the placement and type of quantum gates. However, applying traditional NAS techniques to quantum circuits presents significant challenges, including barren plateaus, noise accumulation, device-specific constraints, and the high computational cost of independently evaluating all candidate architectures. To address these limitations, this paper proposes Q-RLONAS, a two-stage quantum NAS framework that integrates deep reinforcement learning (DRL) with one-shot NAS to efficiently explore and optimize PQC structures. In the Stage #1, DRL determines the optimal gate placement by leveraging a reward function that considers performance, noise, barren plateaus, and hardware constraints. In the Stage #2, a one-shot NAS method is employed to select effective quantum gate types using weight sharing within a supernet, significantly reducing training overhead. Experimental results on the mini-MNIST dataset demonstrate that Q-RLONAS achieves high accuracy while satisfying gate placement constraints, outperforming existing approaches in terms of efficiency for quantum circuit design.
In recent years, machine learning and deep learning have driven advances in domains such as image classification, speech recognition, and anomaly detection by leveraging multilayer neural networks to model complex data. Simultaneously, quantum computing (QC) promises to address classically intractable problems via quantum parallelism, motivating research in quantum machine learning (QML). Among QML techniques, quantum autoencoders show promise for compressing highdimensional quantum and classical data. However, designing effective quantum circuit architectures for quantum autoencoders remains challenging due to the complexity of selecting gates, arranging circuit layers, and tuning parameters. This paper proposes a neural architecture search (NAS) framework that automates the design of quantum autoencoders using a genetic algorithm (GA). By systematically evolving variational quantum circuit (VQC) configurations, our method seeks to identify high-performing hybrid quantum-classical autoencoders for data reconstruction without becoming trapped in local minima. We demonstrate effectiveness on image datasets, highlighting the potential of quantum autoencoders for efficient feature extraction within a noise-prone, near-term quantum era. Our approach lays a foundation for broader application of genetic algorithms to quantum architecture search, aiming for a robust, automated method that can adapt to varied data and hardware constraints.
Hybrid quantum-classical neural networks (HQNNs) are emerging as a practical approach for quantum machine learning in the noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) era, as they combine classical learning components with parameterized quantum circuits in an end-to-end trainable framework. However, their performance and efficiency depend strongly on architectural choices such as data encoding, circuit structure, measurement design, and the coupling between classical and quantum modules. This makes manual design increasingly difficult, especially when hardware limitations and resource constraints must also be taken into account. In this paper, we study the foundations of HQNNs and neural architecture search (NAS), discuss how NAS extends to quantum and hybrid settings, and demonstrate FLOPs-aware search (where FLOPs serve as a proxy for computational complexity), as an important hardware-aware direction for building HQNNs that are not only accurate but also computationally efficient and practically deployable.