Running head: Quantum Computing: Gateway Technology to the Future 1

Quantum Computing: Gateway Technology to the Future

Kiel E. Hawkins

D01670992

Devry University
Quantum Computing: Gateway Technology to the Future 2

Contents
Abstract................................................................................................................................3

Introduction..........................................................................................................................4

Quantum Processor Functionality................................................................................4

Predecessors and History of the CPU..........................................................................6

Analysis of Impact.......................................................................................................9

Ethics of Quantum Processors...................................................................................15

Conclusion.................................................................................................................18

References..........................................................................................................................19

Figures...............................................................................................................................21
Quantum Computing: Gateway Technology to the Future 3

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to examine Quantum Processor technology, its

history, impact, and ethical considerations. The goal is show that the Quantum Processor has the

potential to have a profound impact on our world, by acting as a gateway to other technological

advancements that are in dire need of faster processing power. This paper will discuss how

Quantum Computing works and show the evolution of computational technology from basic

mechanism to supercomputer, as well as discuss how the Quantum Processor will change culture,

economics, and other areas of society. Finally the paper will discuss the potential drawbacks that

exist in an ethical sense and what may be done to eliminate those concerns.
Quantum Computing: Gateway Technology to the Future 4

Introduction

Imagine a world where space travel is a commonplace thing, transporters zip people

across vast distances instantaneously and every human has a personal Artificial Intelligence

helper on their wrist. These sorts of technologies are now beginning to see some form of reality

thanks to the invention of Quantum Processors. Quantum computing is an emergent technology

in the very infancy of its lifecycle. We currently use computer technology invented in the 1970s,

and while it has advanced, it is quickly reaching the limits of what it can handle. This means that

while innovations today are needing faster and faster processing power, computer processing

technology is not able to keep up. The discipline of Quantum Mechanics holds many answers for

our processor problem by allowing us to use a whole different type of physics to design

processors around. This paper will be going over how quantum processors function and how they

differ from current processor technology as well as the impact they may have on the world and

other technology, then finally the ethical implications that may arise from such a fundamental

shift in technology. Quantum Computing, while still in its infancy, shows amazing promise and

within a generation could completely change the way we look at technology and its limits.

Quantum Processor Functionality

To put it simply, current computer technology relies on transistors which have a physical

limit to how small they can be made. These classic microprocessors use a system of math known

as binary, in which logic gates can be one of two values (bit), 0 or 1. Depending on the position
Quantum Computing: Gateway Technology to the Future 5

of the bits 0 or 1, you get larger numbers (8 bits equaling 1 byte) and can do computation.

Quantum computing goes beyond this by using cutting edge Quantum Physics principles such as

entanglement and something called a qbit (quantum bit) that can be in multiple superimposed

states at the same time until it is finally measured (Mermin, 2007). This allows for a much

greater rate of computation as performing calculations with a qbit would be simply measuring it

in one of its states and deriving a pre-determined value from that. To perform the same

calculation, a classic computer would need to look at the state of multiple bits (0s and 1s) in

order to compare and count. The quantum computer would theoretically be able to perform

calculations that would be impossible for a current computer because of the time involved in

performing the computation. This increased computational speed is known as Quantum Speedup

and it is caused by the fact that the qbit can exist as a 1 or 0 at the same time. This speedup can

be further coupled by a process known as Quantum Entanglement. According to a May 2016

article in Scientific American, noted physicist Peter Shor while at AT&T Bell Laboratories

showed how qubits can be connected through a quantum property called entanglement: the

ability of particles separated in space to retain a connection so that an action performed on one

reverberates on the other. This property gives quantum computers a massive parallel processing

ability. When a set of qubits is entangled, a simple operation on one can affect all the other qubit

states. Even with just a few qubits, all those mutually dependent 0s, 1s and other superposition

states create a hugely complex range of possible outcomes. Whereas a classical computer can

handle only one possibility at a time, a quantum computer can effectively test all possible

solutions to a problem simultaneously. Just a few hundred qubits can calculate a tableau of

outcomes that exceeds the number of particles in the universe (Monroe, Schoelkopf, Lukin,

2016).
Quantum Computing: Gateway Technology to the Future 6

Predecessors and History of the CPU

Quantum computing, which is relatively new, has had many of its core concepts and

technologies available for almost 200 years. At its core, the Quantum Computer is a machine

system that is designed to do complex math very quickly (much quicker than a human can). The

field of Quantum Physics is fairly recent, but math has existed as long as language and so there is

a long history of man using machines and devices to either assist with calculations or eventually

to perform calculations themselves. The CPU or Central Processing Unit is the core technology

that allows our current computer technologies to exist and function the way that they do. The

Quantum CPU has its roots in a few different earlier attempts at creating a machine that is

capable of performing the math automatically. We will be discussing the Babbage Analytical

Engine as one of the first true computers, followed by the Turing Machine invented by Alan

Turing as an abstract calculation machine, and finally the invention of the Microprocessor which

is the foundation that modern computing is designed around.

1834-Charles
BabbageDesignes 1971-Intel
theBabbage developsthefirst
Analytical Engine Microprocessor

1946-Inventionof
ENIAC
Quantum Computing: Gateway Technology to the Future 7

Charles Babbage was an English mathematician born in 1792, who took the idea of

counting machines to a whole different level than was dreamed of at the time (Garwig, 1969).

During his era, mathematical tables (such as multiplication or logarithmic tables) were calculated

by hand and cross-checked by other mathematicians. This was a painstakingly slow process that

was prone to error. Babbage designed and build something very akin to a computer to solve some

of this problem, called the Differencing Engine (Garwig, 1969). This device was capable of only

calculating one type of table and needed to be completely reconfigured to perform any other

calculations. Babbage designed in 1834 (earliest found documents) a new Analytical Engine the

size of a small room that was capable of performing multiple types of calculations and could be

programmed using a series of punch cards. It was never actually built by him, but there were

over 250 pages of technical specifications, mathematical formulae. This work was so detailed

that his son Henry Babbage was finally able to build a working Analytical Engine in the early

20th century using his fathers notes and his own expertise.
Taking the basics of the Babbage Analytical Engine into the electronic age was

ENIAC or the Electrical Numerical Integrator And Calculator. This monstrous U-shaped device

the size of a room was unveiled in 1946 by the War Department (having funded the endeavor). It

was invented by Professor John W. Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert Jr with funding from the US

Military. ENIAC was an electrical based calculating machine, capable of thousands of

calculations a second and could be reprogrammed very easily so that it could perform many

different types of tasks. This device weighed 30 tons and had 40 cabinets, each nine feet high and

were packed with 18,000 vacuum tubes, 10,000 capacitors, 6,000 switches and 1500 relays

(Levy, 2013). Originally designed as a codebreaking machine, ENIAC was finally completed just

as World War II was coming to an end and did not really see any use. Still, this huge device is

considered one of if not the first true modern computer.

Quantum Computing: Gateway Technology to the Future 8

Moving from the gigantic to the very, very small is the Microprocessor. This

breakthrough technology was invented by the Intel Corporation in November of 1971. The Intel

4004 is released as the first integrated CPU and has formed the technological basis for all current

PCs. With 2300 transistors inside something less than 1 inch square and capable of running at

740KHz (740,000 cycles per second), the Intel 4004 was able to perform 60,000 instructions per

second. Since the invention of the transistor (which replaced vacuum tubes), most computing

functions were broken up over a couple different devices on the computing board. The 4004

microprocessor was the first to take all those computing functions and put them into a single

device, truly giving rise to the CPU. With further technological advances in the area of

transistors, CPUs have become exponentially faster by putting more and more transistors inside

the processor and getting more clock cycles out of every new generation.
The computer has a fascinating and varied history that goes back hundreds if not

thousands of years (if you consider the abacus). Humans have for a long time needed devices to

assist with math as it is the foundation of all human technology. The faster and more accurately

we can perform calculations, the more amazing feats we can do (like landing a robot on Mars).

Through the timeline you not only see the transition from simple computing device to modern

computer, but you also see a transition from a purely mechanical device to one that is purely

electronic and the computational power that brought.

Analysis of Impact

Considering the impact that current computer processor technology has had on almost

every aspect of life, its no surprise that quantum computing is poised to make a dramatic impact

on various areas of our lives such as social, culture, art, politics and economics.
Quantum Computing: Gateway Technology to the Future 9

Social

The concept of Quantum Computers has been a long time coming. For many years,

scientists and science fiction writers have looked multiple generations beyond our current

technology. These people look ahead to Transporters, space travel, and all sorts of advanced

technology that is impossible with our current generation of processing power. Quantum

computing is largely unknown as a technology to the masses. The technology itself is unlikely to

be mass marketed to everyone on the street (at least within our lifetime), but what it represents is

a stepping stone that the masses will benefit from.

According to Abraham Maslows theory of human motivation, this technology

really fits into the Self-Actualizing and Esteem needs categories (Aanstoos, 2014). In the Self

Actualizing needs category, needs are about personal growth and reaching a persons full

potential. Quantum Computing does not help us survive more day to day or socialize more than

we already do, but it is helping push technological boundaries and reach a higher potential than

we had before by solving problems 10,000xs faster than it could with current technology (Figure

2). As for Maslows Esteem category, it is all about self-esteem and the fame and glory that can

help build it. The community that is working on the Quantum Computing problem, headed by D-

Wave Systems, is pushing to be the first not only to claim the first working quantum CPU (D-

Wave One) but also to be the first to truly capitalize on it. This means pushing to find new
Quantum Computing: Gateway Technology to the Future 10

applications for a working Quantum Computer, because it will only be as good as the problems it

can solve.

Figure 2

While much of the Quantum Computing talk is positive and forward looking,

there are some who are not so thrilled about one of the major technologies that could arise from

it. Artificial Intelligence is the technology of creating a computer that can think and make

decisions in much the same way that a human does. While this has many exciting applications

such as space exploration and having the mind of a human in places that humans cannot go
Quantum Computing: Gateway Technology to the Future 11

(nuclear reactors), science fiction and some groups are afraid of the potential negative outcomes.

Movies like 2001: A Space Odyssey and the Terminator have brought to the collective human

imagination a world where Artificial Intelligence has run amuck. While these are just films and

make believe, there is a side of it that is potentially real. Quantum Computers could provide the

processing power needed to allow a machine to make complex abstract decisions that are

necessary for sentient thought to exist and while its not the Quantum Computer that seems scary

to some, the byproducts are. In an interview with BBC news, Steven Hawking, noted

Astrophysicist, speaks about potential risks of AI Tech by stating "It would take off on its own,

and re-design itself at an ever increasing rate. Humans, who are limited by slow biological

evolution, couldn't compete, and would be superseded" (Cellan-Jones, 2014).

Cultural

From a cultural perspective, Quantum Computing technology would likely just further

advance first world countries (like the USA) past other less technologically dependent ones. The

USA and her allies already have incorporated so much technology into the daily lives of their

citizens. Now with computing barriers on the brink of being torn down, the potential for even

further advancement in medical technology, scientific discoveries, space exploration, genetics,

communications, and education are becoming a reality. Within these countries, we see

individuals who are almost wholly dependent on current technology for their livelihood and we

will only see that dependence grow when some of the communications and AI tech become a

reality. There has been much talk lately about self-driving cars from the company Tesla and in an

interview with Wired magazine, Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla, says that the technology is in

its infancy, but will eventually be able to summon your car from anywhere, even across the

country (Pierce, 2016). This means that you can press a button and have your car drive itself to
Quantum Computing: Gateway Technology to the Future 12

come pick you up and drive you home. This is a case where having a Quantum Computer

making the kinds of calculations that a human would while driving would be absolutely

necessary to ensure the safety of the car, its owner, and all the other drivers on the road. This

kind of thing has the potential to drastically change the driving culture in the US and other

countries that can afford technology of this kind.

Art

Art is an ever-changing thing and has a tendency to evolve with changes in technology.

With the invention of the camera, we see artistic photos and the video camera brought film and

then television. With each successive advance in technology, the use of the technology not only

changes existing art forms like the theatre, but brings rise to new forms. Videogames are a clear

example of technology bringing rise to new art forms. Having roots in classic storytelling, these

games allow artists to not only paint new worlds visually, but with words and emotions. In the

image below, you see what looks like a painting, but is in fact an in-game screenshot from a

popular game named Guildwars 2. The game blends terrific storytelling with graphics designed

to mimic painting brushstrokes that gives it a life all its own.

Figure 3 (Guildwars 2 Screenshot, 2016)

Quantum Computing: Gateway Technology to the Future 13

Taking this a step further is more recent technology involving virtual reality. This technology

seeks to turn videogames into something you can experience with all of your senses, not just

viewing it through a monitor. The increase in computing power needed to just make use of the

nascent VR tech is certainly impressive, but as the tech evolves, it will need more and more

processing power available. As computing power and processing speed increases, so does the

potential complexity of the graphics and decisions that the VR computer could handle. The

eventual goal is to create a story so believable that the viewer could swear they were really there

living in it.

Politics

The political landscape has the potential to get very rocky due to the repercussions of

Quantum Computing. Some of the proposed technologies that can benefit from the increase in

processing speed are already hot-button topics. On the top of the list is genetic engineering and

research. While the human genome has been mapped for years, there is still so much we do not

know about it. An exponential increase in computational speed could allow research models of

the human genome to go from a multi-year running simulation to finishing in weeks, days or

hours. A Quantum Processor has the interesting ability to perform many calculations in parallel

(at the same time), allowing for multiple outcomes to be calculated simultaneously at a high

speed. With genetic research being able to advance and funding put into that area, there will most

certainly be special interest groups who oppose it as working with the human genome and

recombinant DNA hits very close to home for some due to the religious and ethical concerns it

often raises.

Americans have already been dealing with revelations brought forth by Edward

Snowden regarding the extent of US data collection from citizens. There are some real concerns
Quantum Computing: Gateway Technology to the Future 14

in the information security industry that quantum computers, with their ability to calculate so

quickly, could make current encryption obsolete. This would mean that not only could a quantum

computer be used to decode messages from foreign powers in an afternoon, but this technology

can and likely would be turned against the average citizen. There would then need to be even

more laws in place to prevent abuses, such as spying on citizens unlawfully, that technology like

this could undoubtedly bring.

Economic

Google Inc and Lockheed Martin have already spent significant amounts of money on D-

Wave Two Quantum Computers (Simonite, 2015). This sees a whole new industry beginning by

selling quantum computers as a whole to companies dealing with Big Data (large volumes of

data needing to be analyzed). The D-Wave Two computer is designed primarily to solve

optimization problems and can do so up to 3600 times faster than a conventional computer

(Simonite, 2015). This is of particular interest to Google Inc, who can use their new D-Wave to

power the back-end of their data stack working on translation software, advertisement analytics,

and much more, thus adding immense value to their already impressive technology offerings.

With more of these quantum computers being sold, we will begin to see the economic ripples as

technologies in other industries advance and they bring their new products to market. Currently

D-Wave Systems based out of Canada has the only working quantum computer that is designed

to solve just one type of mathematical problem well (optimization problems). As we see more

general purpose quantum computers being developed, it is then that the greatest economic impact

will be felt.

We may also see a new form of economic impact as quantum computers are

turned toward solving economic problems. Being able to calculate economic models and vast
Quantum Computing: Gateway Technology to the Future 15

amounts of variables and data, we may see a day when we will be able to accurately predict what

the stock market will do years down the road based on available data.

Environmental Impact

While quantum computers alone do not have much of an environmental impact

above the current computer industry manufacturing process, they do provide some interesting

opportunities. Weather modeling is an extremely complex task that is not as accurate as we

would like it to be. As more general purpose quantum processors are developed, climate

scientists are looking at tasking them with calculating a whole new generation of weather

models. The ability to accurately predict how the weather will behave days or weeks in advance

is of paramount importance to some, as it will impact many other industries positively, such as

shipping, airlines, and the military. The speed offered by a quantum processor will also allow

scientists studying climate change to assess the real impact that humans have on their

environment much more accurately.

Ethics of Quantum Processors

The Quantum Processor, with its theoretical ability to perform calculations exponentially

faster than modern super computers (known as quantum speedup), in itself is a fairly benign

technology. The Quantum Computer really only has one major and immediate ethical concern

that is derived not from an intrinsic ethical issue, but from a potential use of the technology that

would be impacted by their widespread use. Encryption technology directly benefits and is also

negatively affected with a quantum processor becoming mainstream which would drastically

change our personal and national security landscape. This paper will be discussing the

Encryption methods and their security concerns as well as Consequentialism and Deontology

Ethical Theories and how that use of quantum computing fits into those theories.
Quantum Computing: Gateway Technology to the Future 16

Encryption and Cryptography have been around since man has used the written

word (Pullen, 2016). Simply put, encryption is the process of encoding (putting into code) a

message so it can only be read by authorized parties. This has classically been done by many

different means, such as the shift cipher used by the Romans. This cipher took a message and

shifted the letters of the alphabet by X number of places (1 perhaps) so A was B and B was C

then recoded the message. The shift cipher (diagram A1) is a very weak form of encryption as

someone can just try each of the 26 combinations until they figure out how many spaces have

been shifted and decrypt the message easily.

Today, most of the advanced forms of encryption use factoring of large prime numbers as

the key that is used when a message is sent through an encryption algorithm. These numbers take

a fair amount of processing power and are so complex that to try every possible combination

(known as brute forcing) it could theoretically take centuries.

Currently these secure encryption methods are used in just about all communication

through the internet, protecting hard drives and files with sensitive data and even just connecting

our phones to our cars Bluetooth. Encryption is the method by which we keep secrets in the

world today that not only keeps our banking information safe from thieves, but protects sensitive

national security information as well. The quantum computer comes along now and could
Quantum Computing: Gateway Technology to the Future 17

potentially turn centuries of password brute force cracking into days, hours or even minutes

(USA, 2016). The ability for persons, companies, or countries to easily break encryption means

that the secrets of the world are potentially laid bare for all the world to see and exploit. Isaac

Chuang, professor of physics and professor of electrical engineering and computer science at

MIT says, If you are a nation state, you probably dont want to publicly store your secrets using

encryption that relies on factoring as a hard-to invert problem, because when these quantum

computers start coming out, [adversaries will] be able to go back and unencrypt all those old

secrets. (NOYES, 2016). The ethical dilemma comes in the form of a question, should

individuals, corporations or countries have access to these quantum processors powerful enough

to break all encryption especially those of rival countries?

The two ethical theories to consider when looking at this technology and its use in

decryption of secrets are Consequentialism and Deontology. Both theories really try to answer

the ethical question: are the good results of actions justification for any and all actions used to

achieve that end? To put this into a more modern phrase, do the ends justify the means?

Consequentialism basically states that it is our responsibility to perform actions that will have an

outcome of the greatest good for the most amount of people and that only the consequences

should be looked at when judging if an action is moral. This theory is contrasted by Deontology,

which is necessarily opposite in its thinking. Deontology says that actions taken are inherently

good or bad in themselves, irrespective of the outcome and that morality should be judged based

on those individual actions taken. To put it simply, killing someone to save one thousand people

would be a right act according to Consequentialism as you are trading one life for one thousand.

Deontology would disagree and say that murder is always wrong as an action and, regardless of

the outcome, it will still remain wrong morally.

Quantum Computing: Gateway Technology to the Future 18

In the end, technology will move forward and quantum processors are already

here. From a morality standpoint regarding encryption, there are potential wars to be sparked and

a lot of dirty laundry that might be aired as an unintended result of quantum computing. Still, a

consequentialist approach may be best as the potential gains in so many areas far outweigh the

negative risks in the area of broken encryption. The solution seems to be straight-forward, a

change to the way that encryption is done. By no longer doing encryption using huge prime

numbers and finding another method that is not benefited by more processing power (biometric

encryption?), we can potentially mitigate this risk before the quantum processor is an everyday

thing.

Conclusion

The quantum processor is a marvelous piece of technology worthy of a notable place in

history alongside the microprocessor and the abacus. It stands as a gateway to a myriad of other

technologies that we as humans have been dreaming about for over a hundred years. The

quantum processor becoming commonplace may make science fiction become reality in much

the same way that the microprocessor did when it came to be a common item. The CPU saw man

travel to the moon, have cellular and tablet technology and, even in our lifetime, self-driving

cars. So we imagine what problems a computer could solve with 10000 times the speed and wait

for a day that it becomes our reality. It is true that there are some immediate ethical concerns, but

now is the time to address those concerns. While quantum processors are still in their beginning

stages, we have the ability to look forward and resolve our encryption problems, thus eliminating

much of the ethical concerns revolving around this technology. In the end, we will all be better

for the mainstream adoption of the quantum computer and many other avenues of technology,
Quantum Computing: Gateway Technology to the Future 19

some never even dreamed of before, will be open to us and mankind firmly moving into the

future.
Quantum Computing: Gateway Technology to the Future 20

References

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Cellan-Jones, R. (2014, December 2). Stephen Hawking warns artificial intelligence could end

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Garwig, P. L. (1969). Charles Babbage (1792-1871). American Documentation, 20(4), 320-324.

Levy, S. (2013). ENIAC COMPUTER. Smithsonian, 41(7), 61.

Mermin, N. D. (2007). Quantum computer science: An introduction. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge

University Press.

Monroe, C. R., Schoelkopf, R. J., & Lukin, M. D. (2016, May). Quantum Connections. Scientific

American, 314(5), 50-57.

NOYES, K. (2016). MIT's new 5-atom quantum computer could make today's encryption

obsolete. PC World, 34(4), 11.

Pierce, D. (2016, January 18). Tesla Summon Hints at How the World of Self-Driving Cars Will

Work. Retrieved August 05, 2016, from https://www.wired.com/2016/01/tesla-summon/

Pullen, J. P. (2016). Everything To Know About Encryption. Time.Com, 1.
Simonite, T. (2015, December 8). Google and NASA Snap Up Quantum Computer D-Wave Two.

Retrieved August 05, 2016, from http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/google-nasa-

snap-up-quantum-computer-dwave-two/

USA, National Security Agency. (2016, January). Commercial National Security Algorithm Suite

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Suite-and-Quantum-Computing-FAQ.pdf
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Quantum Computing: Gateway Technology to the Future 22

Figures

[Guildwars 2 Screenshot]. (n.d.). Retrieved August 20, 2016, from

https://d3b4yo2b5lbfy.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/65a00Phoenix-

Kite.jpg