Quantum computing could give AI the rocket fuel it needs to become transformative, but it’s not there yet
- Quantum computing could give us machines massively more powerful than today’s, but we still have a long way to go, say leaders in the field
The tech story of the century so far has been the mainstream arrival of generative artificial intelligence, which drives the uncanny capabilities of systems such as ChatGPT, and is fast being absorbed into our everyday lives.
Whether to mimic human creativity, double as empathetic counsellor or eliminate clerical drudgery, generative AI has delivered an unprecedented surge in excitement for its potential benefits.
Of equal concern are possible negatives: catastrophic job losses, widespread disinformation, and even – at the wildly unsettling end of the scale – human extinction. As remote as that last possibility may seem, today’s most shocking AI headlines may soon be relegated to footnotes.
Waiting in the wings is a technology with the potential to eclipse the pace of change represented by the GPT revolution, one that could also give AI the rocket fuel it needs to progress from merely sensational, to massively, universally transformative: quantum computing.
Once up and running, quantum computers would exponentially increase processing speed, which in turn would vastly improve our understanding of the world, from the complex molecular structures of things (in other words, the chemistry of pretty much everything) to the way systems (such as economies, the movement of people in cities, the weather) interact with each other in seemingly infinite and unpredictable ways.
A path could then be cleared to cure diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s, or create clean energy with planet-saving implications for the environment. The golden promise of quantum computing is simply too spectacular to resist.
