Research and development on quantum computing has completed the theoretical demonstration phase of basic physics and is steadily moving toward a roadmap for commercial deployment that solves specific challenges in industry. A major change in recent years has been a shift in industrial interest from the abstract question of When will it be put into practical use?'' to the practical milestone of Which computational tasks can we achieve quantum superiority over existing supercomputers?''
Phase 1: Material development and drug discovery simulation using error suppression (NISQ) technology
The first phase, which is currently underway, is the use of a hybrid algorithm that combines a noisy medium-scale quantum device (NISQ) and a classical supercomputer. Error mitigation algorithms are rapidly evolving to compensate for the immaturity of error correction in the hardware itself. In developing new materials, calculating the molecular structure of battery materials, and simulating the electronic state of drug candidate compounds, it is becoming possible to make predictions with an accuracy that was not possible with conventional approximate calculations. Major chemical and pharmaceutical companies are already accessing quantum processors via the cloud and conducting preliminary experiments in analyzing specific chemical reaction pathways.
Phase 2: Progress of key players towards the realization of logical qubits (FTQC)
The decisive turning point for practical application will be the arrival of a fault-tolerant general-purpose quantum computer (FTQC). Top players in various countries are accelerating the development of technology that bundles many physical qubits to form a single virtual “logical qubit” and automatically corrects errors during calculations. While superconducting methods, ion trap methods, and cooled neutral atom methods compete, high-precision calculations using dozens of logical qubits have been successful at the laboratory level. If a system with a scale of several thousand logical qubits appears, overwhelming breakthroughs are expected in financial risk modeling and global optimization of logistics.
Preparing existing infrastructure for cryptographic transition (PQC)
As quantum computers progress, there is an urgent need to prepare for the risk that modern cryptographic systems will be cracked in the future. Following the standardization of quantum-proof computer cryptography (PQC) by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), projects to migrate cryptography for communications and financial networks are in full swing. There is an immediate need to ensure “flexible encryption switching ability” to protect your company’s important data.