While we are still assimilating the enormous possibilities that the use of AI offers us, another true revolution appears on the horizon: quantum computing. In essence, this technology will allow for much more complex actions to be carried out and in a much faster manner than that achieved by conventional computers. The secret lies in qubits or quantum bits: while a classical bit represents a single binary value, that is, 0 or 1, a qubit can represent both values at the same time thanks to the laws of quantum mechanics. And that translates into find innovative solutions to complex problems in extraordinarily short times.
The possibilities that quantum computing will offer are fascinating: it will be applied, for example, to the pharmaceutical field, accelerating the discovery of new drugs as it will allow complex molecular interactions to be simulated in record time; Regarding materials engineering, it will allow more efficient and resistant creations; It will also complement current navigators by designing faster and more efficient logistics routes; in agriculture, it will optimize crops and create more sustainable fertilizers; In the financial sector, quantum algorithms could optimize investment portfolios, improve fraud detection and predict crises with unprecedented precision… and these are just a few examples of how this emerging technology will transform entire industries and improve our quality of life.
Therefore, business investment in quantum technology is already a reality. The consulting firm Juniper Research estimates that the commercial income generated by quantum technologies will reach around 9.4 billion dollars in 2030, compared to the 2,700 million that are expected to reach by the end of 2024, which represents an increase of 243%. And this growth will be achieved with a small number of quantum computers, since this same consultancy predicts that there will barely be 300 computers in operation in 2030, “which reflects that we are facing a very early stage of the market, where installation costs are still very high.
It is necessary to emphasize the very special conditions under which a quantum computer must be installed to maintain the stability and precision of the qubits: first, the environment must have an almost non-existent atmospheric pressure, similar to that of outer space. Additionally, the temperature must be close to absolute zero (-273°C) to minimize thermal noise that can interfere with the qubits. It is also crucial to isolate the system from the Earth’s magnetic field to prevent atoms from moving and colliding with each other, which could cause errors. This explains why there are currently only 20 quantum computers in the world, and that the future lies in the cloud: companies and researchers can now access quantum computers through the Internet without needing to physically possess the quantum hardware. Vendors such as IBM, Google and Microsoft offer quantum computing services in the cloud, allowing users to run quantum algorithms and experiment with qubits from anywhere in the world. This democratizes access to quantum computing.
Another important obstacle is the lack of professionals to work on this technology. IBM and Google, for example, have already established collaborations with Spanish universities and research centers to promote research and development in this area. IBM, specifically, has launched the IBM Q Hub program in collaboration with the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC). This program provides access to advanced quantum computing systems and offers training opportunities for students and academics. Google, for its part, has signed agreements with several Spanish universities to support research and development projects.
Investment in this technology grows at a rate of 25% each year
“Quantum computing is a new computing paradigm that requires knowledge of physics, mathematics and computing,” explains Rodrigo Gil-Merino y Rubio, director of the Master’s Degree in Quantum Computing at the International University of La Rioja (UNIR). But, currently, there are no university degrees oriented to quantum computing, which causes a deficit of professionals trained in this new discipline. The only current university training that exists are master’s degrees, with the difficulty involved in balancing the academic resumes of the applicants to guarantee that all of them carry out these postgraduate studies with the same initial knowledge. When this is not possible, graduates may lack a complete vision and preparation in the field of quantum computing, which could cause a lack of confidence to aspire to some highly demanding professions, even after having specialized.
As a team
UNIR has a dense network of collaboration with companies and research centers and has designed this master’s degree for “professionals who want to work on the design of quantum chips, on the creation of new quantum algorithms or to work on various aspects of quantum artificial intelligence.” . «What we intend with our online training model is that students can train without losing their work rhythm, but taking advantage of continuous contact with academic and business professionals in quantum computing. Taking into account that the forecast growth in investment worldwide in quantum computing is 20-25% each year, at least until 2030, graduates will have a greater than 90% probability of achieving their employability goals in this discipline,” explains Rodrigo Gil-Merino y Rubio.
And we certainly don’t lack talent. As Alfonso Rubio, co-founder of Multiverse Computing, one of Europe’s leading quantum software and AI companies, explains, “five of the most important companies doing quantum in the world are run by Spaniards.” Hence, it is essential to bet on collaboration between companies, universities and official organizations that facilitate the creation of a quantum ecosystem in Spain, and as Rubio points out “eliminate bureaucracy.” The Spanish government, with initiatives such as the Quantum Spain program and the ‘Quantum Technologies in Europe’ conference, is trying to promote this technology. For their part, the State Research Agency (AEI) and the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (Fecyt) have financed projects and research groups related to quantum technologies, with an investment of 45 million euros allocated to human resources. and specific projects.
On the rise
Although it is still early days for quantum computing, There is already a growing demand for professionals: According to a recent study by LinkedIn, the number of jobs in this technology published on the platform increased by 40% in the last year. According to the latest data from the ‘Quantum Technology Monitor’ report, prepared by the consulting firm McKinsey, the demand for profiles triples that of graduates in disciplines associated with this field.
Araceli Venegas-Gomez, aerospace engineer, founded Qureca (Quantum Resources and Careers) with the aim of helping companies and institutions to participate in the second quantum revolution by building bridges between research and industry. «Trying to find qualified individuals with previous work experience in the world of business or engineering is like searching for a needle in a haystack in the quantum field. The narrowing of the bottleneck worsens every time something more is added to the list of job profile requirements, he explains. We must ensure that there are enough people with the right skills to fill this explosion of jobs over the next twenty years. “The only way we can educate the workforce of the future is by introducing quantum concepts at the primary and secondary education level, and creating more and more specific quantum engineering opportunities and programs.”
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