One of the world's only quantum computers inaugurated in Bromont, Que.

IBM shows a presentation to the audience during a press conference to announce the inauguration of a quantum computer in Bromont, Que. on Friday, Sept. 22, 2023. (CTV News)

A town in Quebec's Eastern Townships is one of the few places in the world to host a quantum computer, a technology that opens up new possibilities for scientific and commercial advancements.

The IBM Quantum System One quantum computer, which was inaugurated in Bromont on Friday, is the only device of its kind in Canada. It is one of five that the American multinational IBM plans to operate outside the United States.

"The choice of IBM shows that there is a pool of talent in the region and in Quebec," says Jean-François Barsoum, the executive director of Innovation at IBM Canada, in an interview.

He pointed to the Quantum Institute at the Université de Sherbrooke, but also to Quebec's expertise in artificial intelligence: "One of the areas of use is precisely the convergence between artificial intelligence and quantum computing."

The computer could also encourage foreign companies to set up in Quebec, according to PINQ² executive director Éric Capelle. His non-profit organization, founded in 2020 by the Ministry of Ecomony and Université Sherbrooke, will operate IBM's computer.

During the interview, he mentioned the arrival of European companies, but is not yet able to identify them.

"It's a bit early there, unfortunately, but we're well advanced in discussions. It'll be in the next few weeks," he said.

MORE COMPLEX CALCULATIONS

Quantum computing will enable more complex calculations "that we're not able to do today," said Capelle.

He gave logistics as an example, to try to determine the optimum route. A quantum computer will be better able to take a greater number of variables into account. "Today, we've reached a bit of a limit [with traditional computing] because it's a lot of combinations, not enough computing power," he said.

The PINQ² organization will be responsible for choosing which companies and organizations can use quantum computing. Projects are already on the table, Capelle said.

"We're going to become a global hub; it's the first time that a quantum computer is going to be dedicated to all things sustainable development. It won't be just that, but it will be a priority," he said, pointing to projects concerning battery chemistry, as well as experiments on power grid optimization.

TECHNOLOGY IN THE EXPLORATORY PHASE

The technology is still in the exploratory phase, noted Barsoum. The companies that will be using IBM's computer will mainly be doing tests to determine whether quantum computing could be useful for their business.

For example, the financial sector could use quantum computing to develop portfolio modelling: "Desjardins or the National Bank won't be using this quantum computer tomorrow to do their calculations on a daily basis," he said.

"On the other hand, they could develop their team, their knowledge and develop their algorithm. When computers evolve over the next two, three, four, five years, they'll be ready to use this power to integrate it in an operational way," Barsoum said.

It has to be said that the technology is still in its infancy, and quantum computing is still prone to error: "All quantum computers, for the moment, have a relatively high error rate. Also, the ability to retain their response, what we call coherence, [is possible over] a very short time," he added.

Nonetheless, this technological advance opens the way to major opportunities in the years to come, added the IBM expert. He points out that the computer has a power of 127 qubits.

"A few years ago, we were at six or seven qubits. Within a few years, we'll be at a thousand qubits and more," said Barsoum.

The more qubits we have, the more we can reduce the error rate and the longer we can maintain the coherence time that will enable us to make more complicated calculations. Well, then, we're going to be closer, let's say, to the possibility of operational use."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Sept. 22, 2023.