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Quantum computing draws on the fundamental laws of nature to carry out calculations using quantum bits — qubits. Unlike each bit on a classical computing system (which can only be one of two states, 1 or 0, at any given time) qubits can be a complicated mix of 1 and 0 simultaneously, which allows for exponentially larger calculations and gives quantum computers the potential to solve extremely complex problems of which even the most powerful classical supercomputers are not capable.
It’s not surprising, then, that quantum computing is being heralded for its potential to achieve major breakthroughs across society, science and business — from faster drug discovery, to more accurately predicting weather patterns in an age of climate change, and even reducing traffic congestion on streets by optimizing the timing of traffic signals.
In short, the opportunities are impressive and large. At the same time, so is the potential for harm. Today’s encryption can be thought of as a very big combination lock. If computers of today attempted to…
