African academics and researchers will have access to quantum computing after IBM announced it was bringing its Q Network to South Africa in a collaboration with the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg.
Quantum is the next frontier of computing development and promises much more powerful data crunching, which is especially useful for academic research in complex fields that require simulation and modelling. This includes chemical simulations and types of optimization which traditional computers can't solve.
This is the latest development in its joint partnership with Wits University after IBM opened its second lab in Africa in 2016 at Wits's Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct in the Braamfontein suburb.
"One of the most promising indicators that Africans should move quickly and invest in nurturing the skills around the burgeoning field of quantum computing is that there is already a long history of academic activity in South Africa," says Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Wits deputy vice-chancellor for research and postgraduate affairs
IBM's Q Network includes Fortune 500 companies, startups, academic institutions and research labs working on quantum computing and its potential applications. Wits University is the first African partner on the Q Network and will be the gateway for academics across South Africa and to the 15 universities who are part of the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA).
Wits researchers will investigate use of quantum computing and machine learning for cosmology and molecular biology, with a specific focus on HIV drug discovery.
"There are unique opportunities in Africa, which should be addressed by Africans. As we know, African genetics have more diversity than the rest of the world combined. Such diversity is a treasure chest of genetic information," Vilakazi told me.
"This all points to the need for Africans to mine the jewels of the own genetic heritage, including the development of techniques that could soon harness quantum computing for genetics and drug discovery."
Quantum computing is seen as an aid for understanding the increasing volume of data and scale of problems facing humanity. "Africa needs to be ready to embrace this new computing paradigm so we can compete and contribute to the world stage. We cannot let Africa fall behind in technology. We need to get our students quantum ready today, so they can benefit from this incredible technology tomorrow," he says.
African-based researchers, academics and students will now have "access to decades of quantum computing capabilities at the click of a button,” says Vilakazi,
"South Africa has a history of innovation in quantum physics to draw on (for example, the Nobel prize for the invention of the CAT scan) and even recent surprising successes in a field very much related to quantum computing: supercomputing. Over a recent four-year period, the South African Supercomputing team were world champions three-times in the International Supercomputing Competition," he adds.
Dr Solomon Assefa, vice president of emerging market solutions and director of IBM Research in Africa, believes the initiative is just as important to train future computer engineers. “For Africa to remain competitive for the coming decades we must get the next generation of students quantum ready,” he said.
"AI is certainly one of the technologies which is expected to benefit from quantum computing. AI systems thrive when the machine-learning algorithms used to train them are given massive amounts of data to ingest, classify and analyze. The more precisely that data can be classified according to specific characteristics, or features, the better the AI will perform. Quantum computers are expected to play a crucial role in machine learning."
