We’re hearing more and more about quantum computing, and you might be starting to wonder what value it could have for your business. The answer is far from clear, because good, practical information about this new frontier is hard to come by.
I have to admit I rather enjoy a nice information gap. Computing in general is stuffed full of such things, especially when new, specialist technologies start to collide with a less cautious, more gung-ho marketplace.
The general understanding of quantum computing (QC for short) doesn’t go much further than the social media-driven perception that it represents the end of conventional computational barriers – for the good guys and the bad equally – and that unimaginable leaps in performance are just around the corner for everything from tablets to data centres.
Of course, the more ambitious the perception, generally the less likely it is to represent the truth, and what we might call “quantum superstition” is no exception.
“There are proper business benefits to be reaped, especially for forward-thinking companies that embrace the potential of QC”
■ The potential of quantum
While the nascent technology might not be about to transform every computing task, I’ve had a number of conversations in the past year that suggest it’s time for businesses to start thinking about potential real-world quantum
