Google to launch quantum computing initiative in association with NASA and USRA

Google said yesterday, Reuters reported.

The Quantum Artificial Intelligence Lab, a collaboration between Google, Nasa Ames Research Center and the Universities Space Research Association (USRA) would study the application of quantum optimisation related to artificial intelligence.

The internet company's director of engineering, Hartmut Neven, wrote in the company's research blog, ''The Quantum Artificial Intelligence team at Google is launching a hardware initiative to design and build new quantum information processors based on superconducting electronics. We are pleased to announce that John Martinis and his team at UC Santa Barbara will join Google in this initiative.

"John and his group have made great strides in building superconducting quantum electronic components of very high fidelity. He recently was awarded the London Prize recognizing him for his pioneering advances in quantum control and quantum information processing. With an integrated hardware group the Quantum AI team will now be able to implement and test new designs for quantum optimisation and inference processors based on recent theoretical insights as well as our learnings from the D-Wave quantum annealing architecture. We will continue to collaborate with D-Wave scientists and to experiment with the "Vesuvius" machine at Nasa Ames which will be upgraded to a 1000 qubit "Washington" processor.''

Google, currently working on projects including self-driving cars and robots, has over the past few years, become increasingly focused on artificial intelligence.

With an R&D spending of $8 billion last year, the company is now looking to leverage new areas in computing as it seeks to maintain its lead in markets such as internet search and online advertising, Bloomberg reported.

According to some information technology experts, Quantum technology is seen by some in the technology industry as a transformative way for computers to analyse vast amounts of data.

Such advances would be especially useful in Google's main businesses, as also in newer projects like web-connected devices and cars.