(Forbes) Andrey Hoursanov, lead of quantum security at SAP, believes that quantum computing will be one way to put to work the explosion of data from AI, machine learning and internet of things (IoT). Researchers predict there will be over 300 billion connected things by 2021.
Hoursanov said that early experiments show how quantum could solve some problems faster, but not all. He mentioned transportation and finance among the industries that could benefit first from quantum computing’s advantages. Industries like pharmaceutical or battery manufacturing could benefit from quantum technologies even earlier, using quantum simulators before universal quantum computers become available.
A major obstacle in transitioning to quantum computing will be efficiently transferring data between classical and quantum computers. It’s time-consuming to convert classical computer data from places like social networks, the stock market, or internal company systems into the quantum state for processing. For now, companies would likely spend more time converting data than any benefits gained from quantum computing.
Although quantum computers may not be right around the corner, classical software developers will need to prepare for a different future, long-term.
SAP is working with other industry leaders to explore quantum technology, also beyond computing. While it’s difficult to predict the exact trajectory of quantum computing’s growth in these early days, the ongoing rise of big data means it will eventually impact future business.
SAP Exploring Quantum Tech & Impact on Future Business
