Former Google National Security Chief Miles Taylor Discusses Quantum Computing—and How It Could Lead to Machines Thinking for Themselves

(FinanceYahoo) Quantum computing will soon impact our economy, society, and national security, according to Miles Taylor, Google’s former head of advanced technology and security policy. While leading Google’s engagement with defense, intelligence, and law enforcement agencies, Taylor saw firsthand how disruptive quantum computing could be to our daily lives-for better or for worse.
Before working at Google, Miles Taylor was the Chief of Staff of the Department of Homeland Security, monitoring emerging threats to the United States. There, he says, quantum computing first came onto his radar as a near-term security dilemma.
“My biggest worry was that the technology was so powerful it could be used to break encryption, which we rely upon to protect everything from emails and healthcare records to sensitive classified information,” Taylor explains. “That’s still the case, and if our adversaries develop an advanced quantum computer ahead of us, it could pose a grave homeland security threat. What people don’t realize though is that quantum computers will soon also be used to strengthen encryption and make data more secure than ever.”
Taylor says the technology’s real potential is in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). Quantum computing will help machines “think” through problems faster and more efficiently than ever, he says, and could even lead to machines thinking for themselves.
“We shouldn’t just be planning for the day when quantum computers can break our toughest codes. We should be preparing for how to handle machines that can simulate genuine, human-like emotions or outsmart us,” Miles Taylor says. “With quantum technology, that future is within view.”