[{"command":"openDialog","selector":"#drupal-modal","settings":null,"data":"\u003Cdiv id=\u0022republish_modal_form\u0022\u003E\u003Cform class=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form ecl-form\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 action=\u0022\/en\/article\/modal\/11602\u0022 method=\u0022post\u0022 id=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 accept-charset=\u0022UTF-8\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHorizon articles can be republished for free under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EYou must give appropriate credit. We ask you to do this by:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 1) Using the original journalist\u0027s byline\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 2) Linking back to our original story\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 3) Using the following text in the footer: This article was originally published in \u003Ca href=\u0027#\u0027\u003EHorizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003ESee our full republication guidelines \u003Ca href=\u0027\/horizon-magazine\/republish-our-stories\u0027\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EHTML for this article, including the attribution and page view counter, is below:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-form-item form-item js-form-type-textarea form-item-body-content js-form-item-body-content ecl-form-group ecl-form-group--text-area form-no-label ecl-u-mv-m\u0022\u003E\n \n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Ctextarea data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 aria-describedby=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 id=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 name=\u0022body_content\u0022 rows=\u00225\u0022 cols=\u002260\u0022 class=\u0022form-textarea ecl-text-area\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EComputing\u2019s quantum shift\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt some point in the future, the medicines that people take for everything from a simple cold to a complex disease like Parkinson\u2019s might result from a discovery made using quantum computers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese machines, which rely on the principles of quantum physics to outperform the fastest classical computers, are widely expected to spur the development of new drugs with the potential for major improvements in healthcare.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENew frontier\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Classical computing is facing its limits in a range of fields such as drug discovery,\u2019 said Dr Cyril Allouche, head of quantum computing at Eviden, a French advance-computing company. \u2018We hope that quantum computing can break this barrier. That would mean new drugs and less disease.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWelcome to the global race for the next generation of computers \u2013 a hunt that Allouche is part of\u0026nbsp;as head of a research project that received EU funding to explore the wide range of possible uses for quantum computing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile big-name US companies\u0026nbsp;have grabbed headlines by investing billions in a bid to be the first to build a full-sized quantum computer, European businesses and scientists have exhibited the same determination largely out of the spotlight.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor all involved in the quest, deciding whether or not to invest in research now could mean the difference between being on the front line of cutting-edge technologies for health, energy and cybersecurity or lagging behind.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EZeroes, ones and more\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf the stakes for society are clear, the nature of quantum computing itself is less so.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003ENow is the time for industry to get interested.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003EDr Cyril Allouche, NEASQC \u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA normal computer uses a binary code to operate and make calculations. At its core, today\u2019s computing code is nothing more than large amounts of zeroes and ones, with the computer reading either the zero or the one at any single moment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut in a quantum computer something special occurs: a \u201csuperposition\u201d of the zero and the one. That means the operating system can occupy the two states at the same time.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt is this ability to do two things at once that could drastically speed up the time it takes for computers to perform certain calculations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut no one is there yet. Existing quantum computers are low-powered machines that offer few advantages over regular computers.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat apps?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Quantum computing, for now, is still theoretical,\u2019 said Allouche.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat is proving no discouragement to researchers, however.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAllouche\u2019s EU-funded project is called\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/951821\u0022\u003ENEASQC\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 an acronym for Next Applications of Quantum Computing. It began in September 2020 and runs until the end of November 2024.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe project has brought together universities in countries such as Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands as well as businesses like pharmaceutical developer AstraZeneca in Sweden, utility Electricit\u00e9 de France, Latvian language-technology company Tilde and UK-based HSBC Bank.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Now is the time for industry to get interested,\u2019 said Allouche. \u2018It would be a very bad idea to wait for the technology to mature before we develop applications. We need to look at use cases now.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENEASQC is exploring nine use cases. The potential applications are being kept confidential for competitive reasons.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEmulator exercise\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAllouche said researchers can already test whether a technology that is not yet fully operational, like quantum computing, might be better in certain scenarios than a technology that is already in use.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAn emulator is used. It\u2019s a regular computer configured to simulate a quantum computer without the power a real one would have.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018You try to infer some properties from the theory,\u2019 said Allouche. \u2018Here we simulate what a quantum computer would look like.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith these simulations, researchers can determine whether quantum computing is able to make advances such as finding combinations of molecules for new medicines or enhancing renewable-energy output based on solar cells.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EQuantum computers won\u2019t outperform regular computers for all applications. So finding the applications in which quantum computers would excel is a prime research focus.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018We need to see where the frontier of classical computing lies and where quantum computing might offer a solution,\u2019 said Allouche.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBetter together\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA second EU-funded research project is looking at another way to promote quantum technologies in Europe. Rather than funding actual research, the project is uniting disparate initiatives across the continent.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECalled \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/101070193\u0022\u003EQUCATS\u003C\/a\u003E, the three-year initiative runs until the end of April 2025. It is led by Professor Philippe Grangier, research director at the French National Centre for Scientific Research, or CNRS.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018We\u0026nbsp;in Europe don\u2019t have big companies that concentrate quantum computing research in them,\u2019 said Grangier. \u2018Europe\u2019s research is very scattered. We want to unscatter that.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EQUCATS is undertaking some of the coordinating functions that big technology companies provide in the US.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003EI dream of an Airbus for the quantum world.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003EDr Thierry Botter, QUCATS\u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe project does this in a range of ways. It writes strategy documents on what direction quantum research needs to take, such as a new\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/qt.eu\/news\/2024\/2024-02-14_new-roadmap-to-position-europe-as-the-quantum-valley-of-the-world\u0022\u003Eroadmap\u003C\/a\u003E to position Europe as a \u2018Quantum Valley\u2019 of the world. It helps researchers file patents. It coordinates research across borders. And it even informs the public.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EQUCATS includes as a partner the European Quantum Industry Corsortium, or QuIC, gathering private companies that hope quantum computing can provide them with future benefits.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr Thierry Botter, executive director of QuIC, echoed Allouche in saying it\u2019s not too early to focus on such matters.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Quantum is still young,\u2019 said Botter. \u2018Yet businesses need to understand how quantum computing can impact their business today. Early movers are already making gains. Late movers will find it difficult to catch up.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe said that European companies are already looking at what quantum computing can offer them.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOpportunities and risks\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPlane manufacturer Airbus, for example, wants to examine how quantum computing can help in the design of better aircraft and the modelling of air flow and fuel efficiency.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnother urgent area for quantum research is cryptography.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EToday, much online communication and data is encrypted using mathematical puzzles. Solving these with current computers is impossible in practice without knowing the encryption keys.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut quantum computers will be able to solve these puzzles without the keys. Once operational quantum computers exist, online communications could become vulnerable.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGrangier said that European companies are working to avert such trouble. For example, Spanish telecommunications-equipment supplier LuxQuanta and other players have found ways of honing and deploying a type of \u201cquantum cryptography\u201d that could prevent a widespread breach of privacy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMoney matters\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMeanwhile, the jury is out on how Europe will ultimately perform in the quantum race \u2013 in part because of investment needs.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Europe has a very strong research environment in quantum from which many startups have emerged,\u2019 said Botter. \u2018But there are still gaps. One of those is funding.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eib.org\/attachments\/lucalli\/20220112_a_quantum_leap_in_finance_en.pdf\u0022\u003E2022 study\u003C\/a\u003E by the European Investment Bank found that, while Europe has a similar number of quantum companies as the US, a lack of private investments on the continent means American companies receive 10 times more funding.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBotter said the EU and its Member States must act urgently to make more capital available for European companies in the field.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018A lot of things might happen in the next 10 years,\u2019 he said. \u2018What today are startups might become large companies in the future. Fifty years ago, Europe came together to create Airbus, now a leading aerospace company. I dream of an Airbus for the quantum world.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EResearch in this article was funded by the EU\u2019s Horizon Programme. The views of the interviewees don\u2019t necessarily reflect those of the European Commission. If you liked this article, please consider sharing it on social media.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-bg-bluelightest tw-p-12 tw-my-12 tw--mx-16\u0022\u003E\n \u003Ch3 class=\u0022tw-font-sans tw-font-bold tw-text-blue tw-uppercase tw-text-lg tw-mb-8\u0022\u003EThe science of qubits\u003C\/h3\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-inline-block tw-w-1\/6 tw-h-1 tw-bg-blue tw-mb-8\u0022\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EA quantum computer manipulates not the binary bits of classical computing but rather quantum bits, or qubits. Qubits have additional properties as a result of two quantum mechanical phenomena: superposition and entanglement.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EA qubit can represent combinations of zero and one at the same time \u2013 superposition. Qubits can also be entangled \u2013 two separate ones can exist in a single state, which will change when acting on one of them. This creates correlations between the qubits.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese quantum features can be controlled by scientists and could drastically speed up the time it takes for computers to perform certain calculations.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWatch the video\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ciframe allow=\u0022accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\u0022 allowfullscreen=\u0022\u0022 frameborder=\u00220\u0022 height=\u0022315\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/europa.eu\/webtools\/crs\/iframe\/?oriurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2FnWrDB6Gr3bo\u0022 title=\u0022YouTube video player\u0022 width=\u0022560\u0022\u003E\u003C\/iframe\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/textarea\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003Cdiv id=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 class=\u0022ecl-help-block description\u0022\u003E\n Please copy the above code and embed it onto your website to republish.\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cinput autocomplete=\u0022off\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022form-ekw11j1e-rxnitqr9ygbzycf0ut8zucmmshh8blh9xa\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_build_id\u0022 value=\u0022form-ekw11j1e_RxNiTqr9ygbzyCf0ut8ZucMmShH8BlH9XA\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003Cinput data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_id\u0022 value=\u0022modal_form_example_modal_form\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003C\/form\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E","dialogOptions":{"width":"800","modal":true,"title":"Republish this content"}}]