Infleqtion, the world’s quantum information company, is delighted to announce their successful bid for Q-CALC (Quantum Contextual Artificial Intelligence for Long-range Correlations). Q-CALC represents a bold initiative at the intersection of quantum computing and artificial intelligence, with the goal of advancing the capabilities of AI and machine learning systems in handling datasets with complex correlations. This project, supported by Innovate UK, promises to revolutionise data analysis within the defence industry. Infleqtion will partner with QinetiQ, a leading defence company, on the project.
Q-CALC will provide the UK with a powerful sovereign capability in quantum machine learning that has a clear line-of-sight to improved prediction and decision-making for defence applications. During US trade delegation meetings in July, Infleqtion announced the expansion of its quantum software presence to the UK, alongside the launch of QECCO, an award for quantum optimization.
The AI/ML market has grown rapidly in the past few years, significantly accelerating in the past few months. However, there are significant scaling challenges on the horizon. While the GPT-3 model took at least $4.6M to train, the GPT-4 model required over $100M. The scaling in training and runtime costs will become even more untenable for future models because the transformer technology underpinning GPT has costs that scale quadratically. This is both a barrier to progress in classical AI/ML as well as an exciting commercial opportunity for Q-CALC, which will enable longer context windows.
The project draws on experts in quantum software, algorithmic implementation, and benchmarking, harnessing the capabilities of Infleqtion’s Superstaq platform for enhanced solution quality on both real quantum hardware and advanced simulators.
“The Q-CALC project is not just an exploration into the possibilities of quantum-enhanced AI, but a tangible step towards realising its potential in real-world applications,” said Dr Timothy Ballance, GM of Infleqtion UK. “By harnessing quantum contextuality, we’re paving the way for more advanced and accurate data analysis solutions that can address the unique challenges faced by the defence industry.”
“QinetiQ has been interested for several years in the intersection of quantum computing and machine learning. We see this as a possible route to a breakthrough in challenging defence problems such as identifying targets of interest in complex data sets. We are looking forward to teaming with Infleqtion to investigate this promising area further,” said Dr Gillian Marshall, QinetiQ’s Senior Fellow for Quantum Technologies.
Roger McKinlay, challenge director of Quantum Technologies at Innovate UK, said: “This is a great example of how our funding attracts talent, private investment, new collaborations, and creative ideas with real commercial potential. This is an exciting addition to the UK National Quantum Technologies Programme.”
As the UK takes strides to expand its quantum leadership, the Q-CALC project is set to position the nation as a pioneer in quantum-enhanced AI and machine learning. The project’s success will not only advance the capabilities of defence data analysis but also contribute to the growth of the quantum technology sector, creating new revenue streams and high-skilled jobs.
