Juan Bernabé-Moreno is director of IBM's research division for Ireland and the United Kingdom, where he leads three laboratories. This computer science doctor born in Antequera (Málaga) 44 years ago, but with a Granada heart, is also responsible for the Accelerated Discovery Strategy for Climate and Sustainability, that develop seven global laboratories to apply artificial intelligence and quantum computing to the development of sustainability solutions. He trusts in the Spanish potential for new technologies and that quantum computing will allow us to understand nature, the behavior of matter, the key to a world that is elusive for classical theories.
Ask. Is artificial intelligence a threat to humanity?
Answer. Someone may use artificial intelligence to cause some type of harm, but it is important to differentiate between a premeditated and malicious use of artificial intelligence with a development that, without being ill-intentioned, behaves in a way that is expected due to not understanding or not having control of the data or not having applied governance rigorously.
Q. IBM has developed governance tools, but it is presumed that those who intend to cause harm will not use them.
R. How can computer viruses be prevented? It is very difficult because there is always the possibility that someone, for a certain purpose, compromises certain values. It is very difficult. One thing that helps is doing things openly to educate the community. The benefit that can be obtained from artificial intelligence falls into the hands of the community. If everyone understands and the entire community is behind an open AI system, it is easier for the community itself to help prevent misuse. If you leave it in the hands of a few, it doesn't scale. We have seen it in terms of cybersecurity. Our tools are open and the community itself helps develop it.
Q. What does the beginning of the quantum utility era that IBM has announced mean?
R. This year we have entered a very important moment, a milestone. What we call quantum utility means that, until now, quantum advantage could be demonstrated theoretically, but doing so with a quantum computer had not happened. There were errors and this year, for the first time, we have achieved a better system than the classic one and it has been able to solve a magnetization problem with our quantum computer and with error mitigation routines. But to think that we are going to have a perfect quantum computer in seven years… I don't set dates.
If everyone understands and the entire community is behind an open AI system, it is easier for the community itself to help prevent misuse
Q. So what will there be in 2030?
R. We talk about quantum centric supercomputingwhich is a supercomputer focused on quantum, but also with a classical part, including all the advances in hardware [equipos]. It is our aspiration. It won't just be quantum. For example, for machine learning, you need data and that is [computación] classic: they are in bits. Afterwards, you do your processing in quantum, but the output, the interpretation of that data needs to go to classical again. That is, quantum computing never takes classical computing out of the equation. And in hardware, the current Eagle processor has matured, it has had many versions. But communication between units is very important. We learned it in classical: you can't build a monolith because it's too difficult to control. What we do is bet on small units that we communicate with classic links first.
Q. Can quantum computing and artificial intelligence together pose, this time, a threat to humanity?
R. Let's take the example of factoring. Quantum computing may make current cryptography systems obsolete. We know that. But since we have seen a risk, we have started working on quantum security algorithms [quantum save] that cannot be unseated. We already have three at NIST [National Institute of Standards and Technology] that already help to adopt another type of cryptography. New technology creates many opportunities.
Q. But what if it is developed by communities that do not share our values?
R. To reach quantum utility we have been working for 40 years to create quantum information science. And, furthermore, building chips is in our DNA. All that technology is not available to everyone.
Q. What does quantum computing allow?
R. One of the most promising areas and the reason why I started with quantum, which I teach at the university, is its ability to address topics that we do not reach in a classical way. Quantum allows us to discover relationships in data that are very difficult to reveal with current classical means. Artificial intelligence is discovering relationships between data and, with quantum computing, we are going to have a tool that is going to help us a lot. But where it will make the most difference is in the simulation. If we really want to understand nature, particles, it is impossible with a classical computer. Understanding the behavior of matter is quantum.
Q. And does that allow us to know the origin of the universe and of a disease?
R. It can be applied, for example, for targeted therapies. Imagine being much more precise, understanding at a molecular level, at a cellular level, how a targeted therapy works. We already have quantum use research in this field. They are small steps, but they already point to the future. I believe that it will be possible to understand nature and matter in a way that was not possible before and that has many consequences, both for designing new materials and in the biological field.
In the quantum field, Spain can take advantage
Q. And will it involve a lot of energy consumption? Artificial intelligence does demand it-
R. Quantum does not need as much data or energy to understand new relationships or to train. It is low consumption. You can calculate more and much faster.
Q. Does Spain have the talent to face these technologies?
R. In academic terms, the quality of our universities is good. It is true that quantum and generative artificial intelligence programs have to be adapted and implemented, but the basis is very very good. I have been to many countries and I can confirm it. Where progress must be made is in the transfer from the academic world to the business world. Good people try to seek international experience and sometimes they stay. But there are programs to attract talent. In the quantum field, for example, Spain can boast not only because of the people we have worldwide, but also because of ecosystems such as the Basque one, where research quality is recognized worldwide.
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