Cauldron of Tech
Just imagine, if you will for a moment, two of our greatest technological innovations, brought together as one, creating something so powerful that it will change the world irrevocably forever.
Can you do that?
Can you see the vista ahead of you, the one that is all the classic science fiction movies amalgamated in a great cauldron of tech?
Bladerunner, Ghost in the Shell, The Matrix?
Can you?
Because it’s happened.
WOW!
Alliance
A deal— which hopes to harness the potential of quantum computers and artificial intelligence (AI) — has just been signed between C-DAC and Atos.
Founded in 1988, C-DAC (Centre for Development of Advanced Computing) is an Indian R&D organization connected to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
Atos, on the other hand, is a French multinational IT consulting service that focusses in cybersecurity issues, big data work, hi-tech transaction services, cloud-based services as well as overall tech communication.
The collaboration hopes to venture into ways of improving upon the already advancing area of exascale computing, AI technologies and quantum computing.
Researchers at the Atos Quantum Laboratory announced in 2018 that they had modelled the first quantum noise via their quantum computer, which in turn, according to their website: ‘advanced quantum hardware modelling capabilities such as physics-based realistic qubit noise simulation and optimization of quantum software for real quantum processors’.
Take a bow, boys.
Although the agreement is a difficult one on paper, the two partners believe they can succeed.
‘We are thrilled by the remarkable progress that the Atos Quantum program has delivered as of today. Since the launch of the Atos QLM in July 2017, the machine has benefited from continuous innovations by the Atos Quantum teams. By successfully modelling Quantum noise, researchers at the Atos Quantum Laboratory are now bringing simulation to a whole new dimension, ever closer to reality. This R&D breakthrough, supported by a world-class scientific Council, paves the way for researchers around the globe, enabling them today to test certain algorithms that will provide future quantum computers with their full capabilities, notably in artificial intelligence-related applications.’
— Thierry Breton, Chairman and CEO of Atos
Innovative Headquarters
Head of the project, which will also establish at C-DAC’s headquarters in Pune the Quantum Computing Experience Center, is Hemant Darbari, Director General and founder member.
The center, with the assistance from the government of India, aims to be a place where research and industry go hand in hand while facilitating the cooperation between scientific, academic and business people within the industry.
Furthermore, the center will give rise to more research in quantum applications and the theory that goes along with it. Utilizing Atos’ hardware and programming language called AQASM, it is hoped the partnership will burgeon additional developments in disruptive technologies in the QC and AI spaces.
‘Quantum computing’s potential impact on AI models is “a real selling point” for business customers. Theoretical research on the topic has shown that quantum-based machine-learning systems can be trained on data exponentially faster than on classical computers. Machine learning, a type of artificial intelligence, is the science of getting computers to act intelligently without being explicitly programmed. “There’s real potential here to accelerate machine learning.’
— Julie Love, director of quantum business development at Microsoft Corp.
Popcorn, Soda & Seats
There’s still a long way to go. However, breakthroughs — like the one reported — are happening more and more. As people start to understand how the QC architecture can be integrated into AI systems, we will see patterns appear that will help big companies and start-ups develop AI big data sets and machine learning algorithms that will exploit the magic within quantum systems.
And it is only a matter of time.
Global cooperation, as seen with C-DAC and Atos agreement, will only instigate (it is hoped) more partnerships and business arrangements of this kind, bringing AI and QC together to solve, by quick analysis, some of the biggest problems we face in the world today such as traffic flow in cities and air quality.
So, grab your popcorn, sodas and seats, for the movie we’re about to see is one that will be better than anything George Lucas or the Wachowskis have offered us.
