Into 2023 a business technology focus will be divided between securing a robust ecosystem and putting in place reforms to streamline operations and building a more ribose defence to cyberattacks. One of the drivers of concern with cybersecurity is the challenge that will be faced in the longer-terms from true quantum computers.
To gain some understanding as to how quantum computing is set to shape business activities and why there is a high level of interest, Digital Journal heard from Christopher Savoie, CEO and co-founder of Zapata Computing & Gregg Carman, Chief Commercial Officer at Zapata Computing, and from Yudong Cao, the company’s CTO and co-founder, plus Jay Liu, VP of Product.
Starting with Savoie and Carman, their focus is with the ecosystem.
Savoie and Carman explain: “In 2023, we’ll see more startups and larger vendors enter the market, offering different hardware and software solutions, but with limited interoperability. This trend will further push the fragmentation that already exists within this ecosystem and make it critical for enterprises to implement systems that are vendor-agnostic and able to effectively orchestrate the technology.”
The digital ecosystem is the group of interconnected information technology resources that function as a unit, ideally providing a holistic solution to the firm.
In terms of what this means for planning into 2023, Savoie and Carman predict: “As enterprises plan for 2023, they should look to work with true industry experts who can provide guidance on implementing interoperable infrastructure that will set them up for success.”
In terms of the benefits from this approach, Savoie and Carman’s view is: “This approach will also allow for a more seamless integration of quantum-inspired technology to solve real-world business problems. The need for interoperable infrastructures is also the reason that Zapata Computing is building Orquestra® to be the connective tissue that can support this fragmented ecosystem.”
Cao and Lui’s focus is more with cybersecurity and the threats posed from advanced computing systems. Quantum computers use quantum phenomena such as superposition and entanglement to perform computations that can vastly outperform classical computers at many tasks.
They note: “In 2023, a top priority for enterprises should be addressing post-quantum cybersecurity. This includes near-term threats posed by heuristic algorithms, such as variational quantum factoring, running on soon available NISQ devices in addition to potential threats from more powerful quantum computers in the not-too-distant future.”
In terms of the necessary actions required to address this future-state threat, Cao and Lui advise that this will be time and resource heavy: “This is hard, complex work, and enterprises need to start planning for these threats now to ensure they are as protected as possible. This preparation includes understanding where there are potential vulnerabilities, evaluating the current infrastructure, and testing quantum decryption methods.”
Cao and Lui provide the following advice for those companies left scratching their heads, unsure as to what the impact of quantum computing will be: “If they are not sure where to start, or how to validate any of their testing, we recommend they consult with experts in the quantum industry.”
