Posted on 12/20/2017 11:05:42 AM PST by RoosterRedux
A company in California just proved that an exotic and potentially game-changing kind of computer can be used to perform a common form of machine learning.
The feat raises hopes that quantum computers, which exploit the logic-defying principles of quantum physics to perform certain types of calculations at ridiculous speeds, could have a big impact on the hottest area of the tech industry: artificial intelligence.
Researchers at Rigetti Computing, a company based in Berkeley, California, used one of its prototype quantum chips—a superconducting device housed within an elaborate super-chilled setup—to run what’s known as a clustering algorithm. Clustering is a machine-learning technique used to organize data into similar groups. Rigetti is also making the new quantum computer—which can handle 19 quantum bits, or qubits—available through its cloud computing platform, called Forest, today.
The demonstration does not, however, mean quantum computers are poised to revolutionize AI. Quantum computers are so exotic that no one quite knows what the killer apps might be. Rigetti’s algorithm, for instance, isn’t of any practical use, and it isn’t entirely clear how useful it would be to perform clustering tasks on a quantum machine.
(Excerpt) Read more at technologyreview.com ...
Thought this article was interesting.
Notice that I posted it in General/Chat.
Not sure it deserves a posting in news just yet.
p
The Obama administration was a clustering algorithm.....
I too am waiting to really understand where quantum computing can take us. I think it may assist with security, in knowing or not if something was intercepted or “observed”. ...after that I don’t see hard use-cases, just a lot of maybe’s. Even with the use-case here (clustering) they admit it is just a science project that isn’t going to lead to anything in production.
I would be interested in quantum entanglement, or as Einstein put it - “spooky action at a distance.”
It would imply instantaneous communications over any distance, if one could figure out how to send and receive the information.
I would like to understand more about how quantum computing works, or is supposed to work, or is hoped to be able to work. What I’ve read so far, for non-quantum-phycists, isn’t very helpful.
Obama was a clustering sumpum. Not smart enough to be an algorithm.;-)
I wonder how well the speed and power quantum computing hints at would fare in the blockchain world.
The promise of quantum computing strikes me as very similar to that of fusion power - always around the corner.
Encryptions will be selected with quantum algorithms.
Algorithms are a boring use for computers, so who cares anyhow.
They don't amount to much but they eliminate the predictive value of Bollinger Bands and the like.
I have a fast computer but it still takes a couple of hours to finished the routine.
It should be quicker.
Nothing substantial so far, but I have learned that in the market in general, a piercing of the lower lever Bollinger Band is almost twice as likely to predict a decline in a stock price (in the general market) as a piercing of the upper level (in this case-10 day standard deviation and 3 day simple moving average).
For me, that is quite a break-through.
Not that I will make any money on it...just that I established it as a fact (given the time period over which I ran the study).
I am happy to share with any interested Freepers.
Logic-defying?
“I would like to understand more about how quantum computing works, or is supposed to work, or is hoped to be able to work. What I’ve read so far, for non-quantum-phycists, isn’t very helpful.”
A normal computer breaks down all logical operations into ones and zeros. A long sequence of “power on” or power off” that eventually leads to a result. Even the fastest machines require some time to do these switches. For complex calculations, this time really adds up.
A quantum machine takes advantage of a condition where the one and zero (the on and off) exist simultaneously. Impossible in classical physics but possible under certain extreme conditions we cannot see. Even quantum physicists dont seem to exactly understand why it happens but it does.
Once there is no time needed to make the 0/1 switch, any logic command can be processed instantly. Any solvable problem can theoretically be solved instantly with a correctly programmed quantum machine.
AI, the coming super intelligent alien invasion that lacks a conscience.
Can’t wait...
I think of it as more of a cluster f-—
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