Google is collaborating with NASA to install a 512-qubit quantum computer, the D-Wave Two, at the new Quantum Artificial Intelligence Lab, to explore how quantum computing would advance techniques of machine learning and artificial intelligence such as voice recognition.
The Quantum Artificial Intelligence Lab is a collaboration among NASA, Google and the Universities Space Research Association (USRA).
Researchers at Google, NASA and USRA are expected to use the system to develop applications to solve range of complex problems such as machine learning, web search, speech recognition, planning and scheduling, search for exoplanets, and support operations in mission control centres.
Claimed to be up to 3,600 times faster than conventional computers, the quantum computer incorporates D-Wave Two processor that uses an effect known as quantum tunnelling, which would allow scheduling problems and planning.
Google director of engineering, Hartmut Neven, said some quantum machine learning algorithms are already been developed.
"One produces very compact, efficient recognisers — very useful when you’re short on power, as on a mobile device," Neven explained.
"Another can handle highly polluted training data, where a high percentage of the examples are mislabeled, as they often are in the real world.
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"And we’ve learned some useful principles: e.g., you get the best results not with pure quantum computing, but by mixing quantum and classical computing."
D-Wave CEO Vern Brownell said the three organisations and their research teams will use the D-Wave Two to develop real world applications and to support research from leading academic institutions.
"This joint effort shows that quantum computing has expanded beyond the theoretical realm and into the worlds of business and technology," Brownell said.
