You’ve heard about quantum computers.
Maybe you’ve seen the “race for quantum supremacy” between governments and companies, or read that quantum computers will break all encryption, or heard terms like “qubits” or “superposition” or “quantum mechanics” in a confusing tv segment.
But you might be wondering…
what does a quantum computer actually DO?
and how could it actually affect my life?
Marques Brownlee and Cleo Abram have had the same questions.
Marques and Cleo both realized quantum computing was this big important technology… that we didn’t really understand.
So they decided to go on an adventure to learn the truth about quantum computers.
And they're taking you with them, to show you what they learn as they learn it.
But more importantly, to show you how these crazy computers might actually impact YOUR life...
AND sooner than you think.
Chapters
00:00 What is a quantum computer?
02:00 Why is quantum computing important?
04:00 The Quantum Video Game analogy
07:40 What does a quantum computer look like?
09:38 How does a quantum computer work?
12:00 What is a quantum computer good for?
13:21 Will quantum computers break all encryption?
15:22 What's the future of quantum computing?
16:27 Updating the Quantum Video Game analogy
Additional Content
For more from the IBM team, the Qiskit YouTube Channel: @qiskit
Quantum Physics: What Everyone Needs to Know by Michael G. Raymer
YT - How Quantum Computers Break The Internet... Starting Now by Veritasium
YT - Quantum Computers Explained – Limits of Human Technology by Kurzgesagt
YT - Quantum Computers, Explained With Quantum Physics by Quanta Magazine
Our Notes
ADVICE: Whenever faced with new technology - whether new for you or new for everyone overall, never let the terminology overwhelm you. Just as you do not pick up everything when going to supermarket, never try to pick everything up when learning new technology (or anything new for that matter). It will come to you over time - your brain will thirst for more, just don’t over feed it :-)
Overall, quantum computers are MUCH quieter than classic computer infrastructure using chips, use WAY much less water, and their cryogenic needs can be managed with generators that are already in use.
Quantum Computers and Data Centers
Quantum computing is rapidly advancing and is seen as the next major technological evolution for data centers, similar to how AI and cloud computing previously drove demand.
The United Nations designated 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, underscoring its growing importance.
Companies like IBM and Amazon are making significant investments in quantum computing capabilities, with IBM planning to build a large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer by 2029.
Microsoft is also partnering to launch a commercial quantum computer with over 1,000 physical qubits.
These developments suggest quantum computing is nearing commercial viability and will profoundly impact data center operations.
Integrating quantum computers into data centers presents unique infrastructure challenges due to their specialized requirements.
Quantum computers, such as superconducting and trapped-ion types, operate on fundamentally different principles than classical chips.
For example, superconducting quantum computers often require cryogenic environments, operating at temperatures near absolute zero (around 15 millikelvin), which necessitates dilution refrigerators and liquid helium.
Absolute zero is 0° Kelvin, -273.15 °C, -459.67 °F
Additionally, they require electromagnetic shielding to prevent disturbances from external electrical, magnetic, vibration, or sound sources, as well as specific protocols for communication and handshaking with classical compute systems.
Despite these challenges, quantum computers are already being deployed in high-performance computing (HPC) installations and data centers by providers like Equinix, Telefonica, British Telecom, and Microsoft.
D-Wave has made its quantum annealers, featuring over 5,000 qubits, available for high-performance data centers.
IBM has also deployed quantum computers at research institutions to work alongside classical supercomputers on scientific workloads.
Q-CTRL is developing infrastructure software to optimize performance on various gate-based quantum computing hardware, aiming for a software-defined quantum data center that integrates quantum processors with classical hardware for memory, networking, and processing.
Perspectives
Optimistic View on Quantum Data Center Integration
The integration of quantum computing into data centers is already occurring, with various organizations acquiring and prioritizing quantum computing infrastructure.
Quantum computers offer enhanced processing power and efficiency, capable of solving complex problems beyond the reach of classical supercomputers, potentially transforming industries such as financial services, pharmaceuticals, and logistics.
Some quantum systems, such as IonQ Forte Enterprise, are being designed with miniaturization, modularity, and rack-mountable form factors to integrate into typical modern data centers.
Skeptical View on Rapid Quantum Data Center Integration
The rate at which quantum computers will integrate into conventional data centers or the evolution of data centers to accommodate quantum devices is likely to be slow.
Quantum computers are currently bulky, finicky, and non-standard, posing engineering challenges for their integration outside of laboratory contexts into existing data center markets.
While quantum technology is advancing, it is unlikely to displace classical computing in data centers in the near term.
Current data centers will face considerable challenges in adapting to quantum computing without significant updates in hardware, software, computational power, and energy to sustain performance.
Cryogenic Needs of Quantum Computers
Quantum computers require extremely low temperatures, often near absolute zero (0 Kelvin or -273.15°C), to function effectively.
This ultra-cold environment is crucial for maintaining quantum coherence and stabilizing qubits, which are highly sensitive to environmental disturbances like heat, electromagnetic radiation, and vibrations.
These low temperatures enable materials to become superconductors, conducting electricity with zero resistance, which is essential for quantum computing operations.
Cooling systems are designed to minimize thermal energy and noise, preventing qubits from losing their delicate quantum states and compromising computational accuracy.
The primary method for achieving these extreme low temperatures in current quantum computers is through dilution refrigerators.
These large, complex systems utilize a mixture of helium-3 and helium-4 isotopes to cool components to temperatures as low as 10 millikelvin (mK), which is colder than outer space.
While the quantum chip itself can be very small, the associated cooling infrastructure, often resembling a golden chandelier, is substantial.
This infrastructure includes various components like coaxial cables, microwave circulators, and control electronics, some of which also need to operate at cryogenic temperatures.
The management of cryogenic needs involves addressing challenges such as the heat budget, extensive cabling, and magnetic shielding.
As quantum computers scale in size and qubit count, the complexity and energy consumption of these cooling systems increase.
Innovations in cryogenic electronics and on-chip cryogenic control, such as cryo-CMOS systems, are being developed to reduce the number of wires needed for qubit control and integrate classical control components within the cryogenic environment, thereby mitigating heat leakage and improving scalability.
Perspectives
Neutral atom qubits operate at room temperature
Neutral atom qubits eliminate the need for cryogenic cooling systems, which simplifies data center requirements and enhances scalability.
The absence of cryogenic coolers reduces energy consumption and removes complexities associated with gas refills.
The ability of neutral atom qubits to move freely allows for more efficient communication between qubits, reducing error rates and minimizing the complexity of control signals compared to traditional superconducting qubits.
Superconducting qubits and silicon spin qubits require cryogenic cooling
Superconducting qubits operate at millikelvin temperatures, requiring complex thermal isolation and wiring, while silicon spin qubits can operate at one Kelvin, allowing for integration with conventional CMOS electronics.
Cryogenic cooling is essential for these types of qubits to maintain quantum coherence and function reliably by minimizing thermal noise and isolating them from environmental disturbances.
The supply of helium-3, a key element for ultra-cold cooling systems, is diminishing, posing a challenge for the future development of quantum computing, although efforts to mine it from the moon are being considered
Cryogenic Cooling Energy and Noise
Cryogenic cooling systems require substantial electrical power to reach and maintain extremely low temperatures, often near absolute zero.
These systems typically utilize refrigerants like liquid helium or nitrogen.
For example, dilution refrigerators, which are essential for quantum computing, can consume around 25 kilowatts of power, primarily for cooling rather than computation.
Large-scale cryogenic systems, such as those used for cooling superconducting magnets in particle accelerators like the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), require 40 megawatts of electricity.
Smaller cryocoolers, typically tabletop size, can have input powers ranging from 2-3 watts to less than 20 kilowatts.
The coefficient of performance (COP) for cryogenic systems is generally much lower than that of refrigeration systems operating at moderate temperatures, meaning a considerable electrical power input is needed to remove even small amounts of heat at very low temperatures.
Water is also an important input for the cryogenic production process and for cooling associated systems.
Data centers, which may incorporate cryogenic cooling, have extensive electricity and water needs to maintain safe operating temperatures for their machines.
For instance, the HP-built Frontier Exascale supercomputer requires between 6,000 and 10,000 gallons of water per minute to cool its components.
In some cases, to reduce water usage, technologies like dry cooling can be employed for facility cooling, although these are typically more expensive and generate a significant thermal burden.
Auxiliary systems, including pumps for circulating cooling water and fans for cooling towers, also contribute to the overall energy consumption, typically accounting for less than 10% of the total.
Regarding noise levels, while specific decibel ratings for large cryogenic cooling systems are not widely detailed, some cooling technologies for electronics are designed with quiet operation as a key feature.
For example, an ultra-quiet cat water fountain, which uses a pump, has a noise level of 30 dB.
However, this is for a small consumer device, and the complexity and scale of industrial or scientific cryogenic systems suggest they may produce varying levels of operational noise.
Cryocoolers are generally expected to operate with no vibrations, which is a desirable characteristic for applications requiring stability
