Quantum computers could solve certain problems that would take traditional classical computers an impractically long time to solve. At the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST), researchers are now working to make these systems reliable and trustworthy.

Unlike classical computers that process information in binary digits (bits) as either 0 or 1, quantum computers use quantum bits or “qubits” that can represent both 0 and 1 simultaneously, enabling dramatic speedups in computations for specific problems.

The potential applications of quantum computing are wide-ranging. These include factoring large numbers that could break today’s encryption, optimizing complex industrial processes, accelerating drug discovery, and supporting advances in artificial intelligence (AI).