Cloud-Based Quantum Computing Shows Increasing Enterprise Interest

Over the past year quantum computing has started moving from the realm of computer science and research into something that enterprises might be able to use in the workplace. In fact, the emergence of quantum computing in the cloud has excited curiosity among tech buyers who are now looking at practical applications for this kind of computing.

Quantum Computing Adoption

Tech buyers are not the only ones that are looking at it either. Recent research from IDC points to the fact that behind this interest is the fact that quantum computing offers organizations the possibility of improved AI capabilities, accelerated business intelligence, and increased productivity and efficiency.

The research, entitled Quantum Computing Adoption Trends: 2020 Survey Findings (behind paywall) says that while cloud-based quantum computing is a young market, and allocated funds for quantum computing initiatives are limited (0-2% of IT budgets), end-users are optimistic that early investment will result in a competitive advantage.

There are number of industries that are particularly interested in it, among them manufacturing, financial services and security industries are all experimenting with more potential use cases, developing advanced prototypes, and are further along in their implementation status. However, complex technology, skillset limitations, lack of available resources, and cost is deterring some organizations from investing in quantum computing technology.

The rise of quantum computing has not gone unnoticed by investors who have been sniffing around cutting edge companies that are currently developing new ways to enable enterprise access quantum computing. Take Berkeley Calif.-based Rigetti Computing.Founded in 2013 by Chad Rigetti, it has made its quantum computers available over the cloud since 2017, and recently raised $71 million in a recent funding round for the company’s future development.

Through its Quantum Cloud Services (QCS) platform, its machines can be integrated into any public, private or hybrid cloud. In a recent interview Michael Brett, senior vice president of applications at Rigetti, pointed out that over the past two years the number of companies providing access to quantum computers has gone from two (IBM and Rigetti) to many more.

However, in recent months this has been transformed by the entry of big cloud vendors. Rigetti for example has a deal with AWS to use its cloud compute time. Microsoft Azure offers a similar service, and other cloud players are expected to follow. This not only opens a more efficient array of computing, but it changes the market dynamics: “AWS is both an aggregator and a distributor of quantum compute, as well as a provider of software tools to help developers,” Brett told DigiFin.

Quantum Developments

SRI International (SRI) is an American nonprofit scientific research institute and organization headquartered in Menlo Park, California It is also one of the supporters of the Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C) which is also supported by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the Department of Commerce and by more than 70 U.S. companies from across the supply chain.

Just before Xmas this year QED-C held a workshop to identify cryogenic technology advances that will enable a ten-fold improvement in quantum information science and technology (QIST) in the next decade “Cryogenics is slowing progress toward the establishment of a quantum industry, which will have both economic and national security implications, and which will create benefits to mankind that we can only dream of today,”  Luke Mauritsen, founder and CEO of Montana Instruments said of the project Workshop

As well as outlining the path for future development of quantum computing, it also identified some of the problems that need to be answered before quantum computing can move forward. Among the problems that need to be solved is reductions in size, weight and power requirements that will enable commercial applications that today are not feasible.

On top of that for many at research universities and in small companies, cost of the systems that are required for certain applications, which can be more than $1 million, is a barrier to entry. Finally, the dwindling pipeline of relevantly educated workers is a growing problem for companies in the field.

Quantum Potential

That said, Itamar Sivan CEO of Israel-based Quantum Machines, which also received a recent funding round, this time for $17.5 million, argues that cloud-based quantum computing is a field that holds incredible potential. The advantages seem obvious quantum computing holds a promise for immense computational power, far beyond anything classical computing will ever be able to provide. Like the incredible growth of cloud computing for AI and big-data applications. the anticipated adoption by large corporations of quantum cloud computing, will surely be immense. “So, in theory, as IDC has stated, quantum cloud investment can provide advantages across all industries, and we highly recommend corporations to begin allocating resources to the field,” he said.

Such investments would be gradual, as the field progresses, to allow companies, both, not to be left behind when quantum reaches its tipping point, or even better, to gain a first-movers advantages as soon as this happens. Whether this happens in two or five years, companies which have wisely invested in the field, might benefit from an unprecedented advantage.

Is Quantum Computing Necessary?

But is quantum computing necessary? Jay Valentine of  Austin-based Cloud-Sliver believes not. Instead, he believes that Edge computing will drastically impact quantum. Quantum computing, he said, in the way it is being practiced is a hardware solution that runs very specific apps superfast. It is massively expensive, and the skills needed to make it work are not there. Edge computing (vs computing at the edge) has created an entirely different distributed tech stack that enables any app to be broken up into infinite pieces, run simultaneously on tiny hardware devices like a Raspberry Pi or embedded device. “These today actually exceed the speed of any quantum computer with published results. And it is delivered with traditional hardware, (Raspberry Pi), inexpensively, today, and is in production at several sites” he said.

He said that already, we are taking apps that consume an $87 million data center, for 90 hours to come to a result, and we deliver the same in 20 seconds on a single Raspberry Pi. This kind of EDGE tech will eliminate most of the need for quantum computers.

https://www.cmswire.com/

Australian government readies COVID-19 information app

The federal government is looking to publish an app to help distribute information on the COVID-19 outbreak.

The COVID-19 Gov't Mobile Platform opportunity was posted on the Digital Transformation Agency's (DTA) Digital Marketplace, which is touted by the agency as being a "simple, open platform that brings government buyers and digital sellers together".

"This request seeks to engage an experienced seller to partner with the DTA to continue to develop, support, and host a government mobile platform to allow the dissemination of COVID-19 virus information, related restrictions, and other supporting advice and directions," the overview says.

The opportunity was posted on Wednesday and will remain open until 6 pm AEDT on Thursday.

So far, only one vendor has been invited to participate.

The length of the contract is six months, with the option for a further six-month extension.

Essential criteria is listed as experience in developing mobile platforms, and desirable criteria is that the successful vendor has the ability to support and host mobile platforms during a pandemic.

The app was initially announced when the federal government first unveiled its COVID-19 support package. It falls under the new national communications campaign, which will see AU$30 million spent on providing people with "practical advice on how they can play their part in containing the virus and staying healthy", such as through the app.

The Australian government on Wednesday began its text message campaign, telling nearly 36 million mobile numbers how to navigate the health of individuals and the broader community.

"As the spread of the coronavirus increases, it's vital every Australian understands the practical action they must take to look after themselves and help us protect those most at risk," a statement from Minister for Health Greg Hunt, Australian Chief Medical Officer Professor Brendan Murphy, and Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts Paul Fletcher said.

The government said it would continue to use text messages as one of its communication methods.

This follows Canberra suffering backlash earlier this week for its inability to provide appropriate tech capability to handle the number of Australians seeking government assistance.

In the wake of COVID-19, social distancing measures and business closures have left many without a job. In response, the Australian government announced, over the past fortnight, a handful of measures to support the newly unemployed as more than 1 million Australians could be forced onto welfare.

However, on Monday, thousands were unable to access the government's myGov online portal to sign up for income assistance.

"We are deeply sorry about this," Morrison said on Tuesday night.

"We've gone from 6,000 to 50,000 to 150,000 all in the space of, a matter of a day. And tonight, they're working to boost it again. I would say to Australians, yes, we are terribly sorry, but at the same time, we are asking Australians, even in these most difficult of circumstances, to be patient. Everyone is doing their best."

OPEN-SOURCING TRACING TECH IN SINGAPORE

Earlier this week, Singapore announced it will open-source its COVID-19 contact-tracing app, TraceTogether.

"GovTech Singapore is now working around the clock to finalise our protocol reference documents and reference implementation, so that others may deploy their own flavours of TraceTogether -- each implementing the BlueTrace protocol," Minister-in-charge of the Smart Nation Programme Office initiative Vivian Balakrishnan said in a Facebook post.

"We believe that making our code available to the world will enhance trust and collaboration in dealing with a global threat that does not respect boundaries, political systems or economies."

TraceTogether is built on the BlueTrace protocol, designed by the Government Digital Services team at Government Technology Agency of Singapore.

Participating devices exchange proximity information whenever an app detects another device with the TraceTogether app installed.

Balakrishnan said TraceTogether has been installed by more than 620,000 people.

The app uses the Bluetooth Relative Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) readings between devices across time, to approximate the proximity and duration of an encounter between two users, the TraceTogether website explains.

"This proximity and duration information is stored on one's phone for 21 days on a rolling basis -- anything beyond that would be deleted. No location data is collected," it adds.

"If a person unfortunately falls ill with COVID-19, the Ministry of Health (MOH) would work with them to map out their activity for past 14 days, for contact tracing. And if the person has the TraceTogether app installed, they can grant MOH to access their TraceTogether Bluetooth proximity data -- making it quicker for MOH to contact people who had close contact with the infected individual, to provide timely guidance and care."

https://www.zdnet.com/

COVID-19 slams tech outfits and startups in India

With COVID-19 cutting a devastating swath throughout the world, what everyone wants to know about India is how bad the situation really is. In a country with a large but mostly poor population of 1.3 billion and a per capita of around just $2,000, a virus such as this can spread like wildfire and cause devastation. 

So far, India has seen 612 cases and twelve deaths, but this is easily a questionable number considering the lack of testing kits, testers, and the country's massive population. China shut Wuhan down almost instantly and still suffered. India, like China, could also be deeply affected, especially if it has under-reported its figures. Realising this, the Indian government has done the smart thing by implementing a 21-day lockdown -- or de-facto "house arrest" -- along with an international and domestic flight ban, and a stoppage of the railway service. 

The Indian government, with help from tech firm Haptik, has also launched a WhatsApp chatbot called MyGov Corona Helpdesk where people can text with questions about the virus. In turn, they can receive instant responses, including information about where they could receive assistance. 

With government implementing these initiatives, its hope is that by the end of this period, much of the immediate threats from the virus will have blown over.  

As the body continues to rise then, it may seem trivial to talk about the state of the tech sector as I am going to try and do, but the reality is that tech employs a wide swath of people, including Uber and Ola drivers and delivery personnel. With potentially nothing in their bank accounts to rescue them, their livelihoods are directly at stake with business closures arising from COVID-19.

Here's a short account of how various parts of the tech sector have fared with the ongoing crisis.

ONLINE GROCERIES

A few days ago, I wrote an article about how edtech firms in India are experiencing an upswing with schools being shut down during the exam period. Similarly, the revenues of internet-enabled grocery outfits such as Grofers and Bigbasket have gone through the roof, growing by double according to Quartz, as Indians go through a surge of panic buying. Average basket values have also gone up by as much as 20%. 

Experts say this will continue to have stickiness as new users discover the convenience of online shopping where they would not have otherwise. However, online shopping has taken a big hit in general, with Amazon to stop shipping non-essential products.

STARTUPS

For many tech companies that are still in their infancy, this pandemic will probably come as a bitter blow. February already registered a 19-month low for investments and although this was primarily due to fewer big-ticket acquisitions, it is no doubt be a harbinger for things to come. 

Sequoia recently sent out an email to its companies to "question every assumption" about their business and to start thinking about how to cut spending and jobs. Firms that have focused mainly on customer acquisition rather than generating profits will also find that the game has dramatically changed. According to Livemint, fundraising has already ground to a halt, with many companies only having control over their burn rate.

One promising startup sector that has already been hard hit is logistics, which had been booming until now. Shipsy, a Gurugram-based company that uses a digital platform to connect exporters and importers, has already seen their business plummet 25%, and with global shipping and transport having ground to a halt, this looks like the tip of the iceberg.

ENTERTAINMENT

Just like it did in Europe a few days ago, Netflix announced that it would throttle its traffic over Indian telecom networks by 25% in order to alleviate the data congestion that has arisen from cooped up people binge-watching their content. Youtube and Amazon have also made similar announcements.

MANUFACTURING

One of the biggest potential impacts to India's employment and economy could be the shuttering of manufacturing plants and assembly lines in the tech sector. For example, Xiaomi has eight factories that churn out smartphones, smart TVs, and power banks. One can only imagine the ripple effect that this would have on revenues, handset supply, and jobs if it were forced to close the doors on all of its factories.

So far, Xiaomi, Lenovo-Motorola, and Lava have already been impacted, with some of their smartphone factories being forced to shut down following a diktat by state government. 

ONLINE TRAVEL

Needless to say, no one is even thinking of travelling so you can imagine the implosion that is currently taking place for online-enabled homestays, hotels, and travel websites like the rapidly growing Oyo. Leading travel aggregator Yatra.com said that 35% of bookings that include travel and hotel to international destinations have already been cancelled. 

https://www.zdnet.com/