AI will continue to develop and grow, especially through the increase
in computing power. Quantum computing, a term that has been buzz-
ing around the tech industry for a few years now, is a technology that
promises to take computing power to unprecedented levels, opening
up new possibilities for AI and the virtual economy.
But what exactly is quantum computing? How did it start, where is it
today, and how will it shape the future of the virtual economy? Let’s
dive in.
🌱 THE DAWN OF QUANTUM COMPUTING
The story of quantum computing begins in the early 20th century with
the birth of quantum mechanics, a branch of physics that describes
the bizarre and counterintuitive behaviour of particles at the atomic
and subatomic levels. Quantum mechanics was a radical departure
from classical physics, introducing concepts such as superposition
and entanglement, which would later become the cornerstone of
quantum computing.
However, it wasn’t until the 1980s that the idea of a quantum computer
was first proposed. Theoretical physicist Richard Feynman, known for
his work in quantum mechanics, suggested that a machine based on
quantum principles could simulate things that a classical computer
could not. This was a groundbreaking idea, as it suggested that quan-
tum computers could solve problems that were practically impossible
for classical computers.
💻 QUANTUM COMPUTING TODAY
Fast forward to today, and quantum computing has moved from the
realm of theoretical physics into the real world. Tech giants like IBM,
Google and Microsoft, as well as a host of ambitious start-ups, are in-
vesting heavily in quantum computing research and development.
The progress made so far is impressive. In 2019, Google’s quantum
computer, Sycamore, achieved what is known as ‘quantum suprem-
acy’ by performing a calculation in 200 seconds that would take the
world’s most powerful supercomputer 10,000 years. This marked a sig-
nificant milestone in the development of quantum computing.
In 2023 another important leap was made. The system by
Google had 70 qubits – quantum bits that can represent 1, or 0, or both
at the same time. Google’s quantum computer was able to perform
calculations in astonishing timings, things that would take decades
using standard computers.
🚀 ACCELERATING THE FUTURE OF AI
Google has taken another revolutionary step in the world of supercomputing at the end of 2024 with their new quantum chip, Willow. Equipped with 105 qubits, the chip performed a calculation in less than five minutes—a task that would take a traditional supercomputer approximately 10 septillion (!) years to complete. This breakthrough, leveraging advanced quantum error correction, marks the beginning of practical applications for quantum computing.
Quantum computing will drastically accelerate AI development. With computational power exponentially greater than traditional systems, complex AI models can be trained much faster. Tasks that currently take weeks or months, such as training neural networks with billions of parameters, could be completed in a fraction of the time.
This means the next generation of AI systems will be exponentially more powerful and efficient. Since the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, we’re still in the AI kindergarten phase—fasten your seatbelts! 😉
🎤 If you’re looking for a speaker on #AI at your organisation or event, don’t hesitate to contact me via www.dadovanpeteghem.com 👍
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