Quantum Computer: Is It A Boon Or A Bane For Humanity

When it comes to computing power, there isn’t anything quite like a quantum computer. A traditional computer nowadays is powerful enough to generate almost life-like graphics, but quantum computers dwarf these computers in terms of computational prowess. The biggest tech companies in the world are fighting to win the race to quantum computing supremacy. But what exactly is a quantum computer, how is it different from a traditional computer, and how powerful is it? In this blog, we will shed some light on these subjects. So, without delay, let’s get right into it.

What Is A Quantum Computer?

In simple words, a quantum computer is a computer that performs computational tasks on the principles of quantum mechanics. This makes the computer extremely efficient and powerful. But how and why is it so powerful? Well, the answer to that question lies in how quantum mechanics work. In quantum mechanics, there is a notion known as Quantum superposition. To explain this, we would like to tell you about a thought experiment known as Schrodinger's Cat. 

So, according to the thought experiment, let's say you put a cat in an air-sealed opaque box and let that box sit for a year or two or maybe ten years. Now Schrodinger asks, is the cat alive or dead? Now a normal answer would be that after one year or ten years of not feeding the cat, it is probably dead. But Schrodinger said that the cat is neither alive nor dead; it is in both states. According to Schrodinger, the cat is both alive and dead at the same time. This is what we call quantum superpositioning. But how is it applied in the making of computers? 

So, traditional computers hold data in bits, and a bit can be either 1 or 0. However, a qubit or a Quantum bit is something that can be 0 and 1 at the same time. So, a pair of bits can come up with four outcomes. A pair of qubits also has 4 outcomes, but the thing is that due to superpositioning, the qubit pair can represent all four outcomes at the same time. This significantly increases the computational power of a quantum computer. For instance, a task that would take 47 years to complete in the world's fastest supercomputer would only take 6 seconds in Google’s 73-qubit quantum computer. This makes quantum computers a whopping 241 million times faster than the fastest supercomputer on the planet. The scary part is that Google’s quantum computer is just a prototype and has a long way to go. 

Is Quantum Computing A Boon Or Curse For Humanity?

The answer to this question is not as simple as it may seem. The use of quantum computers determines whether they will be a boon or a bane for society. The argument scientists present in front of the world suggests that quantum computers will only be used for weather prediction, space exploration and medical science and not for something ethically wrong. However, the cynical nature of humans leaves no doubt in the minds of people that quantum computers can be and will be used to cause harm, and it is too big of a temptation not to fall for. 

So, we will leave it in your hands to decide whether these machines are good or bad for our future. So, let's go through some good and bad applications of quantum computers. 

Application In Medicine And Healthcare

Quantum computers can prove to be very beneficial in healthcare as they will allow pharmacies to develop tailor-made medicine for any individual. They can perform DNA sequencing very efficiently and quickly, leading to personalised medicines and drugs. So, in a world where quantum computers are a thing, you can go to a doctor and come out with medicine made specifically for you. 

Application In Climate

Another application of quantum computers is in climate. Predicting climate will become very easy, fast and accurate with the help of a quantum computer because of the computing power it possesses. The best part is that if we can predict climate, we can also make calculations to tweak it in a way that climate change won't be a worry. 

But just like everything else, Quantum computers also have a downside. Let’s go through them.

Application In Weapons Manufacturing

One of the applications of quantum computers that scares people is its integration into the weapon-making process. For example, the atomic bomb that took years to develop would only take a day to be made if done through a quantum computer. Now that is scary. 

Integration With Rogue AI

Currently, AI works on the principle of traditional computers, and people are scared of its power. Just imagine how powerful AI would be if it had access to a quantum computer. If an AI could learn at the rate of quantum computers, it would read all knowledge known to men in less than 1 day. Now, this is a plot for a Sci-fi movie, a movie that wouldn’t have a happy ending because there wouldn’t be any way to stop this AI. 

Our Verdict

This is why many governments are stopping or pausing their quantum computer development programs, as the device can change the world forever, maybe for good or worse. Recently the American government also stopped NASA and Google from further developing their quantum devices. The applications of quantum computers are infinite and whether it will be a good invention or not depends solely on us, but one thing is certain; it is inevitable.