Quantum computing is emerging as the next technological frontier, with Google, Microsoft, and IBM racing to develop machines that could outperform artificial intelligence. A recent survey by security firm Thales found that 31% of people think quantum computing is science fiction, but experts say it is real and advancing quickly.
What Is Quantum Computing?
A quantum computer is an experimental machine that exploits quantum mechanics—the bizarre behavior of particles like atoms when cooled to -273.15°C, colder than outer space. At this temperature, particles can exist in multiple states simultaneously, a phenomenon known as superposition. Charina Chou, director of Google Quantum AI, explains: 'When an electron goes around an atom, it's in multiple places at once. It's not just in place A, but place A and place B.'
Traditional computers use bits that are either 0 or 1. Quantum computers use quantum bits, or qubits, which can be both 0 and 1 at the same time. This allows them to perform many calculations in parallel. Qubits can be made from light particles or superconductors—metals that behave strangely when super-cooled. Microsoft has even created a new state of matter to power its chip.
Current Limitations and Future Goals
Today's quantum chips contain only about 100 qubits, but the target is 100,000. Zulfi Alam, corporate vice president at Microsoft, illustrates the potential: 'If I forgot the combination of my bike lock and used a classical computer to help, it would check every combination, one at a time. A quantum computer would be able to test many combinations at once and then pick the right one.'
Practical Applications
Quantum computing will not speed up Netflix or appear in household appliances. Jason Soroko, senior fellow at Sectigo, says: 'What people will actually encounter is invisible. The batteries in cars, the drugs in medicine cabinets, the fertilisers behind food and the materials in buildings will have been designed with help from quantum simulation.'
One major promise is in healthcare. Quantum computers could model molecules at the atomic level, enabling targeted cancer treatments. Chou notes: 'A person might feel like they've got a growing lump. But underneath all of that can be completely different things at the molecular scale.' In March, IBM used a quantum computer to decode the structure of a new molecule.
Scientific Discovery
Ivano Tavernelli, a researcher at IBM Research Zurich, says: 'Quantum computers have the potential to illuminate parts of the universe that are currently far beyond the reach of even our most advanced classical simulations.' They could help solve mysteries like the scarcity of antimatter and the nature of neutrinos. Google's Willow chip is already being used by King's College London to study complex quantum phenomena.
Encryption Concerns
Quantum computers can perform calculations that would take supercomputers septillions of years. In 2024, Willow solved a math problem in five minutes that would take a supercomputer 10 septillion years—24 zeros, older than the universe. This capability poses a threat to current encryption methods used by governments and banks, as quantum computers could crack them.
Timeline
Microsoft expects to achieve a scalable quantum computer by 2029, halving its original timeline. Alam envisions a hybrid future: 'I see the future of computing as hybrid, where quantum technologies work alongside AI and high-performance computing.' Chou draws a historical parallel: 'Think to the 1940s, when we had these gigantic computers, nobody back then could have imagined your phone. Quantum will be similar to that.'
