Creeped out by ChatGPT? Frightened of a future where artificial intelligence replaces the real thing? Brace yourself, because here comes quantum computing.
The developing technology — which relies on subatomic, quantum mechanics — could accelerate the advancement of AI to lightning speed, experts say.
Such a powerful upgrade could lead to amazing things — or terrible ones.
“We could cure cancer with quantum computing combined with AI,” Lisa Palmer, chief AI strategist for the consulting firm AI Leaders told The Post. “There is a huge upside here … like upgrading from a bicycle to a high speed sports car.”
In the wrong hands, however, that kind of power could be devastating to society — especially when it comes to hacking.
“One of the worst cases is that it can be detrimental to financial systems in the hands of bad actors,” Palmer said. “A data breach could happen for every bank account in their entire system.”
The revolutionary technology uses subatomic quantum bits, aka “qubits,” for data processing. It replaces the conventional approach of using binary bits like zeros and ones for data. The approach is significantly faster and more efficient to a point where the possibilities are infinite.
“Using quantum computing, we can simulate the physical world in a way that is much, much faster,” Pengcheng Shi, associate dean in the department of computing and information sciences at Rochester Institute of Technology, told The Post.
The turbocharged tech has seen major investments from companies like IBM, who have put $20 billion behind the rapidly evolving machinery. Google is an investor as well.
And while quantum computing is still in its infancy, it won’t be for long.
Palmer speculates that it could see practical use in three to five years. IBM is already on pace for a substantial breakthrough by 2026 as well, Forbes reported.
Once mature, the technology will likely yield outstanding breakthroughs in the field of medicine —particularly in accelerating pharmacology and the development of medications, according to Shi.
The professor also predicts that quantum computing will likely play a major role in space exploration, particularly in the use of mapping for optics such as the Webb telescope.
Beyond breakneck speed, quantum can also substantially increase quality in AI and make it more creative, according to AI expert and CUNY Queens College professor Jamie Cohen.
Currently, AI — such as ChatGPT, or generative image AI programs like Midjourney — is limited by its machine output processing and, like people, becomes fatigued to a point where it impacts performance.
“The reason why Bing limited its AI, Sydney, to five prompts is because its answers are more degenerative each time — that could all change with quantum computing,” Cohen told The Post, adding that “one day it might be able to train itself.”
No matter what happens, there’s a silver lining, experts say: Computer users everywhere can look forward to the end of pesky, time-consuming two-factor authentication, which in the face of the power and speed of quantum will be about as effective as taping a door shut to keep it locked.
“Standard encryption today is going to be crushed by the quantum computers — forget about two-factor authentication,” Shi said, noting that the super rapid processors will render the tool obsolete, while offering greater protection through deeper, more efficient encryption.
𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝘀, 𝗖𝗼𝗽𝘆𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 & 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘆: nypost.com
𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗠𝗖𝗔,
𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗮𝘁 dmca@enspirers.com
