Why Quantum Computing is Even More Dangerous Than Artificial...

Why Quantum Computing is Even More Dangerous Than Artificial Intelligence

Today’s artificial intelligence is self-aware in ways paper dolls aren’t. Despite the triteness of a Georgia engineer’s bizarre claim that his company’s AI is sentient, Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s recent prediction that computers will have human intelligence by 2030 isn’t far off. The technology is still a simple version of thinking.

The sensationalism surrounding AI is not surprising, considering that Musk himself has warned humanity’s biggest existential threat is AI. While many scientists and business leaders dismiss this as alarmist, they might be surprised to learn that AI could easily disrupt human reasoning and decision-making, thus undermining our ability to make sound judgments. And while AI may seem like a powerful emerging technology with potential to transform industries, quantum computing represents an even more significant threat.

The world’s failure to reign in the demon of AI—or rather, the crude technologies masquerading as such—should serve to be a profound warning. There is an even more powerful emerging technology with the potential to wreak havoc, especially if it is mismanaged. AI cannot operate without quantum computing, yet quantum computing’s potential remains vague at best, and its promise from getting us there seems decades before its time. The world must proceed with extreme care lest we unleash something we cannot explain at all.

Although still in its infancy, quantum computing operates on a very different basis than today’s semiconductor-based computers. Semiconductors represent information as a series of 1s and 0s—that’s why we call it digital technology. Quantum computers, on the other hand, use a unit of computing called a qubit. A qubit can hold a state of simultaneously incorporating a counterintuitive property in quantum physics called superposition. You’ll find this confusing; you’re in good company—it can be hard to grasp even for experienced engineers. Thus, two qubits could represent the sequence: 1, 0, 1 and 0, at the same instant. That allows a vast increase in computing power.

If quantum physics leaves the experimental stage and makes it into everyday applications, quantum computing will change everything. With that power comes the risk of quantum systems being sabotaged, hacked, or misused. In addition to potentially better forecasting systems, quantum computers could potentially create better records, rather than merely using existing ones. It’s a new way of thinking about data, and it’s a paradigm that is entirely foreign to traditional computers.

To be clear, quantum computing is still in an embryonic stage—though whence, we can only guess. Because of the technology’s immense potential power and vulnerability applications, quantum computing projects are already part of defense and government research already. This kind of research is shrouded in secrecy, and nations are competing aggressively with one another to advance their national interests. China, France, Russia, Germany, the Netherlands, Britain, Canada, and the United States, contain hundreds of universities engaged in various vital areas: defense contractors, and universities.

Despite the lack of publicity, there have been dramatic advancements made in quantum applications, including quantum sensors able to detect electromagnetic signals. In another experiment, Dutch researchers teleported quantum information across rudimentary quantum communication networks. Instead of using conventional optical