IBM Releases API / SDK For Quantum Computing

[Schtask]

Quantum computing is the digital manifestation of Schrodinger's Cat. In standard computing, bits are set as either highs or lows (1's or 0's). This is how virtually all computer systems operate. In quantum computing, bits are set as both high and low. My face melts when I think about that from a digital logic perspective as all possible outputs are determined through a single bit set. Mind Blown. IBM has decided to bestow this power to the average developer via a newly released API that allows access to their quantum super powers.

 

[sboucher]

 

[Galvin]

This stuff is way beyond me. Seems like its a big threat to encryption though?

 

[Schtask]

This stuff is way beyond me. Seems like its a big threat to encryption though?

It's a double edged sword.

Positives: Provides a solution to almost any problem.

Negatives: Provides a solution to almost any problem.

 

[travisty]

This stuff is way beyond me. Seems like its a big threat to encryption though?

Yes, many classic encryption - especially those that rely on the difficulty of factoring large numbers - will be cracked by any decent quantum computer with relative ease. For example RSA 128 encryption can be cracked by a quantum computer in a second. Maybe a few seconds if it's RSA 256. RSA 1024 is probably in the minutes range.

Just know, it'll take a quantum computer with more than a thousand qubits to be powerful enough to perform decryption. Current quantum computers and even near future are in the 5-50 qubit range. Y2Q (yes this appears to be what they're calling it) will happen around 2030 (estimated time for 1000+ qubit quantum computers to exist). At this point all encryption, on the internet and everywhere else, must use quantum cryptography otherwise the message that's being received/sent can be assumed to have been cracked by the time it's received.

 

[Trepidati0n]

Yes, many classic encryption - especially those that rely on the difficulty of factoring large numbers - will be cracked by any decent quantum computer with relative ease. For example RSA 128 encryption can be cracked by a quantum computer in a second. Maybe a few seconds if it's RSA 256. RSA 1024 is probably in the minutes range.

Just know, it'll take a quantum computer with more than a thousand qubits to be powerful enough to perform decryption. Current quantum computers and even near future are in the 5-50 qubit range. Y2Q (yes this appears to be what they're calling it) will happen around 2030 (estimated time for 1000+ qubit quantum computers to exist). At this point all encryption, on the internet and everywhere else, must use quantum cryptography otherwise the message that's being received/sent can be assumed to have been cracked by the time it's received.

Thus..the only winning move is not to play. o.0

 

[kinjo]

Solutions to problems where the data does not exist yet? maybe they mean where the data has not been properly sanitized yet. If the data genuinely does not exist it is impossible to extrapolate anything from it. I see a lot of cool conceptual thought experiments/demo's for how quantum computing could solve problems more quickly, but the reality is the quantum programs still have to be written by humans. The little video in the OP actually points to a big potential issue. How would you find that queen? the way most people would go looking for the queen is to check one card at a time which is why a program written by most humans would approach the problem the same way.

The proposed "quantum" solution is to essentially flip all the cards over at once I.E explore all the decisions branches simultaneously which sounds simple conceptually. The problem is the writing a program/algorithm to actually do that is not simple and will require programmers to relearn programming and problem solving in a completely different way.

Not saying that it is impossible just saying thaat cute little videos like the one above dramatically understate the complexity of writing a program that actually takes advantage of what a quantum computer is theoretically capable of.

 

[xX_Jack_Carver_Xx]

Sounds like a bunch of bullshit to me.