But the serious threats of quantum computing may emerge quicker than its possibilities. Security experts warn of the dangers of Q-day, when a quantum computer might crack the RSA cryptosystem, widely used by tech companies, banks and governments on their data.
Earlier this month, the heads of the “Five Eyes” spy agencies (the US, the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand) warned of the risks of China’s activities in quantum computing, AI and synthetic biology. “If you’re anywhere close to the cutting edge of tech, you might not be interested in geopolitics, but geopolitics is interested in you,” said Ken McCallum, director-general of Britain’s MI5.
Ever since 1994, when the mathematician Peter Shor wrote an algorithm that could run on a not-yet-invented quantum computer to crack RSA, security experts have worried about the world’s digital secrets. - https://www.ft.com/content/9ac38cf4-874e-4842-8be9-8fac2a3e898d
As with just about every powerful new technology, the question is not if but when the next quantum wave will be weaponized.
Quantum radar, code, internet, sensors and GPS are being fast-tracked by militaries and defense industries in all corners of the globe. Who gets there first (the quantum “haves”) could produce new asymmetries of power and dangers for the rest (the quantum “have-nots”).
Quantum communications systems can deliver completely secure, unhackable lines of communication. A prototype network is already connecting several major cities over nearly 5,000km in China. On the other hand, quantum computers pose the risk of eventually being able to hack classically encrypted messages in seconds – an eventuality known as “Q-Day.”
Quantum AI is being developed to improve the performance of lethal autonomous weapons. Do we really want swarms of drones operating in a networked battlespace without any humans in the loop?
Quantum sensors, already in use today, are able to make ultra-sensitive measurements of magnetic and gravitational fields. This means pinpointing metals and large objects underground as well as underwater.- https://www.inverse.com/tech/risks-of-quantum-technologies-unspoken
I was convinced that fusion energy was 20 years in the future and always will be...—until about 2 years ago. Now I’ve seen enough evidence to convince me that fusion energy will happen in the next +-five years instead of the great 20 year bye and bye.
Quantum computing has been around for a long time. It makes slow incremental improvements. But I’m not convinced yet that it will mature into anything usable within the next 10 years.
I do think that any rapid, unforeseen increase in the power of quantum computers will come as a result of AI.
AI induced timeline compressions for the introduction of many technologies is going to be astounding. The Big Thing that Musk did this year was to overcome the last engineering hurdle to making Big AI happen. Chatgpt 3 AI had an IQ of about 100. the current models have an IQ of 120 to 130. Musk’s Grok 3 due out in March is going to have an IQ of 140.
Musk has created a scaleable AI architecture that will enable later generations of AI to have IQ’s of over 200—or smarter than any human ever—with all the data/information that’s ever been created instantly and coherently available to them.
In that world—which is not more than 5 years away— stranger things than we know become possible.
When they hit that territory—