Using a powerful machine made up of 56 bits quantum trapped, or quitThe researchers achieved something in the past impossible. They have proven, for the first time, that a quantum computer can generate pieces of randomness that are certifically Alemage – Verified using conventional supercomputers. This breakthrough goes beyond theory, showing that quantum computers can now solve problems in the real world that classic those simply cannot manage.
From theory to evidence: certify the quantum randomness
Back in 2018, a scientist of University of Texas in Austin proposed a protocol to generate a random character in a way that could be really unpredictable certified. This scientist, Scott Aaronson, now sees this idea becoming a reality of work. “When I first proposed my certified random protocol in 2018, I did not know how long I needed to wait to see an experimental demonstration,” said Aaronson, who now runs a quantum center in a large university.
The experience was carried out on a hint of 56 qubit quantum computerAccess remotely on the internet. The machine belongs to a company which recently made a significant upgrade of its system. The research team included experts from the technological laboratory of a large bank, national research centers and universities.
To generate a certified chance, the team used a method called random circuit sampling, or RCS. The idea is to nourish the quantum computer a series of difficult problems, called a challenge circuits. The computer must resolve them by choosing from many possible results in an impossible way to predict. Then classic super-manager Intervene to confirm whether the answers are really random or not.
Why chance matters more than you think
Random numbers may seem like a simple thing, but they are a key ingredient in many areas of modern life. They help protect digital data, maintain private online communications and guarantee equity in things like online voting and lottery systems. But there is a problem. Classic computers cannot generate Really random numbers. They rely on algorithms or generators of material random numbers, which can be manipulated.
If a hacker takes control of a conventional random number generator, he can predict his outlets. This would be a major threat to cryptography – the tools that protect your private data and communications. But with the quantum certified chance, even if someone took control of quantum equipment, it would not be able to simulate the exit and pass the mathematical tests which prove that it is random.
“This development of a certified randomness not only shows progress in quantum material, but will be vital for additional research, statistical sampling, digital simulations and cryptography“Said Marco Pistoia, principal researcher in a large world bank.
How did it work: challenge and check
The protocol used to prove random had two steps. In the first, the team sent puzzles that are difficult to resolve to the quantum computer. These puzzles are so complex that classic computers – even the best on earth – do not solve them quickly enough. The quantum computer, on the other hand, had to make a random choice from the many correct possible responses.
Then came the second step. Using conventional supervisors distributed in the best research laboratories, the team checked if the exit was really random. These superordinators worked with a combined power of 1.1 exaflops – they are floating point operations from 1.1 to 1.1 each second. It is an astounding level of the power of treatment.
Thanks to this massive computer effort, the team was able to certify 71,313 bits of entropy. In simpler terms, they confirmed more than 71,000 bits of fresh and pure randomness than no actor hacker, spy or dishonest could have predicted or faked.
“This work marks an important step in quantum computer science,” said Pistoia. “It shows a solution to a real world challenge using a quantum computer beyond the capacities of conventional superordinators today.”
A giant leap in quantum power
The quantum computer used in this project is not only a fancy calculator. It represents one of the most advanced machines ever built. Its unique design, based on trapped ions technology, allows each qubit to connect to all other qubit. This connectivity to all, as well as high fidelity, gives it an unrivaled power in the world of IT of today.
In June 2024, this machine obtained an upgrade at 56 fully usable qubits, which gives it 100 times the power of previous systems. This leap into performance helped researchers finally achieve the certified random protocol and confirm the results using conventional methods.
Quantum supremacyThe term used when a quantum computer solves a problem that no classic computer can have already been claimed in previous experiments. But these previous efforts have not resolved the problems of the real world. From now on, with a certified chance, the researchers have gone beyond theory and practice.
“Today, we are celebrating a central step that firmly brings quantum IT in the field of practical real world applications,” said Dr. Rajeeb Hazra, CEO of the company that has built the Quantum machine. He added that their quantum random approach “establishes a new standard to provide robust quantum security and allow advanced simulations in all industries”.
Collaboration through science and industry
This project brought together experts from several sectors: finance, research and higher education. Each group played a key role. Quantum equipment came from a leading technological company. The classic verification was carried out using supercomputer from national laboratories. Theoretical support came from university researchers who imagined the protocol for the first time years ago.
“These quantum IT results were activated by world leaders American energy department IT information, “said Travis Humble, director of two quantum programs in a national laboratory.” Such pioneers are pushing the borders of computer science and providing valuable information on the intersection of quantum IT and high performance IT. »»
These high -level collaborations are crucial. They accelerate the path of research to real use, the theory of mixing, material and conventional calculation power. Now that the certified random has been possible, new doors are opening up.
Future work could provide even more secure systems in finance, health careNational defense and communications. This can be the foundation of an entire field of practical and reliable quantum computer science – no longer, but scientific facts.
Search results are available online in the journal Nature.