Research shows Nvidia supercomputers are capable of being functional and commercial quantum computers and could impact the finance and blockchain industries.
Based on supercomputer simulations conducted with graphical processing units (GPUs), researchers working with Nvidia supercomputers assert that they have made significant progress in constructing a completely functional, commercially viable quantum computer.
Although there has been consistent progress in developing a practical quantum computer over the past few decades, physicists still need to be divided on the optimal course of action for its ultimate realization.
Quantum Physics
Quantum computers operate differently than their classical counterparts. Computers that we employ daily, including the one on which you are currently perusing this article, depend on binary switches to perform computations.
However, their quantum counterparts, by employing qubits, can perform significantly more intricate computations than ones and zeros alone by leveraging the fundamental properties of physics.
There are many schools of thought regarding the precise method of constructing a quantum computer, all of which necessitate the development of a costly infrastructure, groundbreaking research into theoretical math and physics concepts, and the application of frontier engineering.
Today, quantum annealing and quantum gating are the two most frequently investigated methodologies. The prospective capabilities of the two are starkly different.
Utilizing Nvidia hardware, researchers are striving to create a quantum annealing system. It is in a distinctive position to pursue quantum computing research through supercomputer simulations due to its extensive experience with GPUs in both the gaming and artificial intelligence sectors.
Supercomputers and Superclusters
To simulate the behavior of a quantum annealing system, researchers utilized hundreds of thousands of GPUs in multiple configurations, as per the recently published research paper.
Typically, these simulations are conducted on supercomputers with CPU clusters or similar architectures. However, Nvidia’s GPUs are a potent alternative due to their pioneering nature.
The research outlines the team’s use of GPU-based quantum simulations to resolve an exceptional issue that surfaced in annealing systems. The magnetic particles employed in quantum computing would “abruptly alter their behavior.”
The team was able to develop a proposed solution that involves the manipulation of magnetic fields through simulations. Once implemented, this could bring full-service quantum annealers one step closer to the market.
Quantum Computing Future
Developed to address particular issues, quantum annealing systems are a unique type of quantum computer. Their purpose is not to execute general duties, as opposed to gate-based quantum computers.
They will be customized to address outstanding optimization challenges. Quantum annealing systems are the most likely to impact the following industries: energy, finance, blockchain, quantum sensing, transportation, cargo, and logistics.
For instance, scientists anticipate that quantum computing systems could enhance forecasting accuracy, portfolio management, and diversification in the financial sector.
