Cloud Computing: The Public Sector’s Onramp to Quantum Optimization (Guest Blog from D-Wave)
Author: Trevor Lanting, Chief Development Officer, D-Wave
Cloud computing is opening access to a variety of game-changing new technologies, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, and quantum computing. These cloud-based solutions help organisations get started quickly without having to invest in their own infrastructure, broadening access to these powerful tools. Those who support the public sector can now take advantage of quantum-classical hybrid technologies through the cloud, which means they can tackle complex problems and optimize operations in real time. Here’s why that’s important today.
The Many Routes to Quantum Computing
Cloud access allows governments and start-ups to enterprises of all sizes to benefit from the power quantum computing— lowering the barrier for developing optimisation applications today. This expanded availability is accelerating quantum computing’s adoption and ability to solve many of today’s complex public sector problems. They have started to recognise the processing power of annealing quantum computing and quantum-classical hybrid technologies that combine classical algorithms and quantum algorithms to solve increasing complex problems.
A growing ecosystem of vendors provides access to quantum computing technologies, including AWS Marketplace, Amazon Braket, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, and D-Wave’s LeapTM quantum cloud service, which is available in real-time in 39 countries. This diverse range of options ensures that organizations can find the best solution for their specific needs.
The demand for the latest technology is evident from the significant customer use of D-Wave’s experimental prototypes of its next-gen Advantage2TM QPUs that have been made available in its Leap service. The first of these was made available in 2022, the second in 2024, and together they have solved nearly 8 million customer problems to date.
Cloud: The Key to Accelerated Quantum Adoption
Both public and private sectors benefit from cloud-based quantum computing applications’ promise to address today’s real-world challenges across a diverse set of use cases. Real-time access to quantum systems are giving companies and governments a way to develop quantum-powered applications that optimize operations in e-commerce delivery, cargo handling, drug discovery, and manufacturing. The real-time nature of quantum cloud access also allows organizations to handle unexpected operational changes and disruptions immediately, ensuring adaptability in fast-paced and ever-changing business and public sector environments.
The public sector can harness cloud-based quantum-classical hybrid technologies to optimize infrastructure projects that are needed to support all aspects of society. In Japan, an application optimised construction site operations by 10%. Quantum technologies could also be considered for disaster mitigation, such as overseeing tsunami evacuation planning and better manage emergency response plans.
Momentum Grows in the Public Sector
Governments are supporting quantum cloud access and building applications that address public sector challenges. From reducing carbon emissions through optimised waste collection in Japan to improved transportation networks in Australia, quantum computing is delivering tangible benefits to the public sector. In the U.S., there have been efforts to tackle electrical grid resilience through cloud-accessible quantum systems, while the E.U. is looking at quantum computing applications for space and satellite efforts.
Governments can and should continue to tap into the power of cloud-based quantum computing to build applications for infrastructure projects such as housing, broadband rollout, optimization of public transportation, staff scheduling, and emergency response. The wide range of public sector uses for quantum computing technologies built with cloud-based services is already in place, and the potential for future applications is vast.
The time to adopt cloud-based quantum computing is now. By making this transformative technology available through the cloud, quantum computing is poised to play an important role in shaping the future of the public sector.