Quantum computing harnesses the phenomena of quantum mechanics to deliver a huge leap forward in computation to solve certain problems.

Quantum computing is an area of computing focused on developing computer technology based on the principles of quantum theory (which explains the behavior of energy and material on the atomic and subatomic levels). Computers used today can only encode information in bits that take the value of 1 or 0—restricting their ability.

Quantum computing, on the other hand, uses quantum bits or qubits. It harnesses the unique ability of subatomic particles that allows them to exist in more than one state (i.e., a 1 and a 0 at the same time).

  • Superposition and entanglement are two features of quantum physics on which these supercomputers are based. This empowers quantum computers to handle operations at speeds exponentially higher than conventional computers and at much lesser energy consumption.
  • The field of quantum computing started in the 1980s. It was then discovered that certain computational problems could be tackled more efficiently with quantum algorithms than with their classical counterparts.1
  • Quantum computing could contribute greatly in the fields of finance, military affairs and intelligence, drug design and discovery, aerospace designing, utilities (nuclear fusion), polymer design, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) and Big Data search, and digital manufacturing.

Its potential and projected market size have engaged some of the most prominent technology companies to work in the field of quantum computing, including:

  • IBM,
  • Microsoft,
  • Google,
  • D-Waves Systems,
  • Alibaba,
  • Nokia,
  • Intel,
  • Airbus,
  • HP,
  • Toshiba,
  • Mitsubishi,
  • SK Telecom,
  • NEC,
  • Raytheon,
  • Lockheed Martin,
  • Rigetti,
  • Biogen, and
  • Volkswagen