“Even in the darkest of times we have the right to expect some illumination, and that such illumination may well come less from theories and concepts than from the uncertain, flickering, and often weak light that some men and women radiate, in their lives and their works. . . . . Eyes so used to darkness as ours will hardly be able to tell whether their light was the light of a candle or that of the blazing sun.” Hannah Arendt
My younger daughter is in her second year of a PhD program in quantum computing at Columbia. Yes, I’m proud, and I’m willing to own the shameless boasting of saying so. Her journey to this place in her life is even more impressive, but that’s her story to tell. As a totally biased father, I believe her work will someday become a shining light, if not a blazing sun, for the future of the planet.
Since my wife and I are planning to visit her in New York in the near future, I wanted to get smart enough to ask her a smart question. Since she is much smarter than I am in the areas of physics, math, chemistry, art, computer science and many other fields, I knew this was going to be a challenge. As I was browsing through a bookstore, I came across a new book by Michio Kaku entitled: Quantum Supremacy: How the quantum computer revolution will change everything. Ah hah, I thought – my ticket to a smart question. Here are the questions I was able to formulate by struggling through the book:
- What are the major challenges of achieving coherence?
- How much of the difference between digital computing and quantum computing can be accounted for by the power of simultaneous, interdependent processing?
- What are the primary differences between bits and qubits and what new possibilities does the qubit provide?
If you haven’t heard of qubits and quantum computing, you may want to do some investigation. Qubits may represent the best hope for humans to bring some light to all the darkness we see around us.
As a precursor, less than a year ago, only a few people had any idea what Gen AI was. Now, most of us know about Open AI and have either tinkered with ChatGPT or Bard. Most of us have been blown away by the ability of AI to not only summarize vast amounts of data and synthesize it in articulate (and oftentimes inaccurate) ways, but also to learn from all previous searches and summaries in order to continually improve its outputs. Now, the world is fairly well aware of the threats and possibilities that AI represents. The world is changing rapidly.
Quantum Computing (QC) appears to be the next big thing. At this point in time, I’m quite sure not many people are very aware of QC or the qubits that drive it. Given what has happened with AI, I’m confident that a much larger percentage of people will be aware of this game-changing breakthrough soon enough.
At the risk of being ridiculously simplistic, my understanding is that AI is about learning and QC is about solving. AI technologies are able to scan all past data, learn from it, and present whatever summaries we ask it to provide. QC technologies are able to apply about 1,000 times the computational power of digital computing to propose innovative solutions to current and future problems based on the analysis of AI and scientific research. The key to optimizing both AI and QC is to open our minds to entirely new possibilities for learning and solving.
To bring all that theoretical physics down to earth, let me share the essence of a recent article in the New York Times by Robin Wall Kimmerer in which she implores us to change our worldview in order to save the planet and all the species living on it. To me, changing that worldview includes opening our minds to the possibilities of AI and QC among other things.
Dr. Kimmerer is a plant ecologist, a writer and a distinguished teaching professor and director of the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. She is the author of Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants.
Kimmerer says, “We need more than policy change; we need a change in worldview, from the fiction of human exceptionalism to the reality of our kinship and reciprocity with the living world. The Earth asks that we renounce a culture of endless taking so that the world can continue.”
In the article she shares how even turtles have had to change their habits to adjust to a warming climate and the continual erosion of the places where they lay their eggs for future generations. The turtle reminds her of the debt we all owe to the generosity of fellow species who share our vulnerable planet. She implores us to not only be grateful for the gifts of our fellow species, but also to commit to the principles of reciprocity and interdependence. She concludes, “Green technology, renewable energy, regenerative economics and restoration of forests, prairies and wetlands will all be part of the changes we need. We are called to a movement made of equal parts outrage and love.”
I loved Braiding Sweetgrass, and I’m grateful for the brilliant light Dr. Kimmerer sheds upon our situation today. That’s why I was so struck by the quote from Hannah Arendt that introduced this post: “Eyes so used to darkness as ours will hardly be able to tell whether their light was the light of a candle or that of the blazing sun.” Kimmerer, to me, is a blazing sun – just like the work of people applying Qubits will be in the future.
Which brings me back to the questions I plan to pose to my daughter re: coherence, interdependence and possibility.
In Quantum Computing, coherence is the ability of a quantum system to maintain a well-defined quantum state over time without being affected by outside disturbances or interactions. Evidently, it makes everything flow smoothly. I have no idea what that means in the quantum world, but in the worlds in which I live, coherence means forming a unified whole through logical, consistent thinking and representation. When we express thoughts in a calm and clear way, we are more coherent AND more resilient to stress. Clearly, given the current state of our planet and politics, coherence is not only challenging physicists, it is challenging all of us on a daily basis who are trying to make sense of the world. Unfortunately, we are not seeing a lot of coherence anywhere we look.
In Quantum Computing, simultaneous and interdependent processing is the ability to be in multiple states simultaneously and to engage in a large number of operations in parallel. The ability to “be” and “not be” is the key to the power of quantum computing. Qubits can also achieve a mixed state, called a “superposition” where they are both 1 and 0 at the same time. After two or more quantum particles interact, they can retain their connection and interdependence. If one qubit acts in a certain way, its entangled twin will act in the same way, no matter the distance that divides them. They can be millions of miles away but still act in perfect unison. Again, I know absolutely nothing about what all that means to a physicist, but what makes perfect sense to me is:
When two or more parties interact, they can retain their connection and interdependence no matter the distance that divides them.
It seems to me that we need to apply this principle of quantum physics to organizational behavior, economic development, social interactions and political dialogue.
There are two points I’m trying to make. First, I believe the lack of coherence, interdependence and openness to new possibilities are the root causes of the dysfunctions we are experiencing. Second, I have always felt that cultural and sociological changes are based in science, particularly biology. There is so much we can learn, for example, from the interdependent web of trees in a forest – how they actively help each other survive and grow.
Michio Kaku suggests that quantum computing will change everything. If it is truly based on the ideas of coherence, connection and interdependence, I have to believe he is right. And, if it’s true in the field of physics, it can be true for society as a whole.
To me, we are failing as a civilization because we are not learning from the past nor solving for the future. I believe that’s true because we are not opening our minds and hearts, and we are not engaging in the kinds of coherent, interdependent thinking which could lead to amazing possibilities for individuals, organizations, and global governments.
I’m hoping when we visit her in the next few weeks, our daughter will illuminate my thinking about quantum computing, and that I will be able to develop a deeper sense of all the possibilities QC represents. I also hope, as Hannah Arendt so poignantly phrases it, that our “eyes so used to darkness will be able to see the light of flickering candles as well as blazing suns.” Further, I’m hoping, as does Robin Wall Kimmerer, that we can free ourselves from the fiction of human exceptionalism to the reality of our kinship and reciprocity with the living world. Finally, and most importantly, I’m hoping we all open our hearts and minds to the possibilities for continuous learning and creative solving. May it be so.
