Quantum computing, once limited to theoretical speculation, is now gradually becoming practical thanks to NVIDIA's pioneering efforts. In a series of developments announced at GTC 2024, NVIDIA not only envisions the future of computing but is actively shaping it.
In Canada and the United States, scientists are using large-scale language models to simplify quantum simulations, aiding in the exploration of molecular structures. "This new quantum algorithm opens up new avenues for combining quantum algorithms with machine learning," said Alan Aspuru-Guzik, a professor of chemistry and computer science at the University of Toronto who leads the team.
The team is the first to use both quantum and classical computers to discover potential candidates. This work utilizes NVIDIA's CUDA-Q, a hybrid programming model designed for GPU, CPU, and quantum systems. The research team conducted experiments on Eos, NVIDIA's H100 GPU supercomputer.
At GTC, Aspuru-Guzik revealed his algorithm that uses machine learning and quantum computing to simulate chemical systems. This algorithm is now available for research and is helping in the fields of healthcare and chemistry. He added that by continuing to use models like GPT and these quantum computing algorithms, we can have GPT-like models for quantum computing.
NVIDIA introduced the NVIDIA Quantum Cloud at GTC, aiming to support researchers in the biopharmaceutical and scientific fields to advance quantum computing and algorithm research.
According to NVIDIA, this cloud platform enables users to develop and test novel quantum algorithms and applications, such as simulators and hybrid quantum-classical computer programming tools, marking significant progress in accessibility and capability.
Fraud detection and hybrid computing
One interesting customer utilizing and leading NVIDIA's quantum dream is HSBC, one of the world's largest banks. Researchers have developed a quantum machine learning application that can identify fraudulent activities in digital payment systems.
With the help of NVIDIA GPUs, the bank's quantum machine learning algorithm simulates an impressive 165 qubits. Typically, research papers focus on quantum computing units of fewer than 40.
At a session in GTC, Mekena Metcalf, a quantum computing research scientist at HSBC, discussed her findings. HSBC employs machine learning approaches integrated with CUDA-Q and cuTensorNet software to solve the scalability challenge of quantum circuit simulation on NVIDIA GPUs. The focus is on applying these models to classify fraudulent transactions in digital payments.
Furthermore, at GTC, two recent deployments showcased the expanding field of hybrid quantum-classical computing.
The first is ABCI-Q from the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology in Japan, one of the largest supercomputers dedicated to quantum computing research. It utilizes CUDA-Q on NVIDIA H100 GPUs to drive the country's efforts in this field.
Meanwhile, in Denmark, the Novo Nordisk Foundation is leading the deployment of NVIDIA DGX SuperPOD, a significant portion of which is dedicated to quantum computing research, aligning with the country's strategic plan to advance the technology.
Partnerships and collaborative work
NVIDIA's core in the field of quantum computing lies in its commitment to research excellence and collaboration. By establishing strategic partnerships with top academic institutions, NVIDIA is nurturing the next generation of quantum scientists and engineers.
For example, Israeli startup Classiq showcased a new integration with CUDA-Q at GTC. Classiq's quantum circuit synthesis automatically generates optimized quantum programs from high-level functional models. This advancement allows researchers to maximize the efficiency of current quantum hardware and expand their scope of work to develop future algorithms.
Rolls-Royce, the aerospace company, also utilized NVIDIA and Classiq's collaboration to simulate the world's largest computational fluid dynamics circuit using cuQuantum multi-node QC simulation. Another notable example is QC Ware, a software and services provider, integrating its Promethium quantum chemistry software package with the recently announced NVIDIA Quantum Cloud.
ORCA Computing, a London-based company focused on quantum system development, showcased the results of running quantum machine learning on its photonic processor using CUDA-Q. Additionally, ORCA has been selected to build and supply a quantum computing testbed for the UK National Quantum Computing Centre, which will utilize NVIDIA GPU clusters with CUDA-Q.
NVIDIA also collaborates with Inflection, a leader in quantum technology, to provide cutting-edge quantum solutions for Europe's largest network defense exercise supported by NVIDIA's Superstaq software.
qBraid, a cloud-based quantum computing platform, is integrating its development environment with CUDA-Q. Additionally, California-based BlueQubit detailed in a blog post how NVIDIA's quantum technology is applied in its research and GPU services, achieving the fastest and most extensive quantum simulation feasible on GPUs.
These are just a few of the advancements announced at GTC. As the quantum revolution unfolds, NVIDIA serves as a guiding light, leading humanity towards a future where the impossible becomes possible.
