The intersection of quantum computing and machine learning has given rise to a new frontier in artificial intelligence research. Over the past decade, significant advancements have been made in quantum hardware, enabling the exploration of Quantum Machine Learning (QML) applications on real devices. This emerging field combines the power of quantum computing with machine learning algorithms to achieve quantum advantage over classical approaches.
In this rapidly evolving landscape, researchers are pushing the boundaries of QML by developing new techniques and methods to address implementation limitations on noisy quantum hardware. From supervised learning for image classification tasks to unsupervised learning for anomaly detection in finance, QML is being applied in various domains with promising results. However, despite these advancements, several challenges remain that hinder its widespread adoption.
As researchers continue to explore the potential of QML, new areas of focus are emerging, including the application of QML in materials science and chemistry. With its vast potential for innovation, QML is poised to revolutionize various fields, from high-energy physics to healthcare. As this exciting field continues to evolve, one thing is clear: the future of Quantum Machine Learning looks bright, with many promising directions waiting to be explored.
Quantum Machine Learning: A New Frontier
The past decade has witnessed significant advancements in quantum hardware, with improvements in speed, qubit quantity, and quantum volume – a metric defining the maximum size of a quantum circuit effectively implementable on near-term quantum devices. This progress has led to a surge in Quantum Machine Learning (QML) applications on real hardware, aiming to achieve quantum advantage over classical approaches.
The exploration of QML on near-term quantum devices is a rapidly growing field, with researchers and scientists from various institutions, such as the University of Tokyo, IBM Research, and JP Morgan Chase Co., actively contributing to its development. The survey focuses on selected supervised and unsupervised learning applications executed on quantum hardware specifically tailored for real-world scenarios.
One of the key aspects of QML is its ability to leverage the power of quantum computing to tackle complex problems in various domains, such as High Energy Physics, Healthcare, Finance, and more. By combining machine learning with quantum computing, researchers aim to develop new algorithms that can efficiently solve problems that are classically intractable.
Current State of Supervised Learning Techniques
Supervised learning is a type of machine learning where the algorithm learns from labeled data to make predictions on new, unseen data. In the context of QML, supervised learning techniques have been explored to leverage real quantum hardware for various applications. Researchers have developed algorithms that utilize quantum circuits to learn patterns in data and make predictions.
One such technique is Variational Quantum Circuit (VQC), which has shown promising results in solving complex problems. VQC uses a quantum circuit to encode the input data, followed by a series of quantum operations to extract relevant features from the data. The output is then used to make predictions on new, unseen data.
Another technique explored in QML is Quantum Kernel methods, which aim to leverage the power of quantum computing to efficiently compute kernel functions for machine learning algorithms. By using quantum circuits to compute kernel functions, researchers have demonstrated significant speedup over classical approaches.
Current State of Unsupervised Learning Techniques
Unsupervised learning is a type of machine learning where the algorithm learns from unlabeled data to identify patterns or relationships within the data. In the context of QML, unsupervised learning techniques have been explored to leverage real quantum hardware for various applications.
One such technique is Quantum Autoencoder (QAE), which has shown promising results in solving complex problems. QAE uses a quantum circuit to encode the input data, followed by a series of quantum operations to extract relevant features from the data. The output is then used to identify patterns or relationships within the data.
Another technique explored in QML is Quantum Clustering, which aims to leverage the power of quantum computing to efficiently cluster similar data points together. By using quantum circuits to compute similarity measures between data points, researchers have demonstrated significant speedup over classical approaches.
Challenges and Limitations
Despite the promising results achieved by QML on near-term quantum devices, several challenges and limitations remain. One major challenge is the presence of noise in quantum hardware, which can significantly impact the accuracy of QML algorithms.
Another challenge is the limited qubit connectivity, which restricts the size of quantum circuits that can be implemented on near-term quantum devices. This limitation makes it difficult to scale up QML applications to larger datasets or more complex problems.
Furthermore, the performance of QML implementations in comparison to classical counterparts remains a topic of ongoing research and debate. While some studies have demonstrated significant speedup over classical approaches, others have shown limited or no improvement.
Future Directions
To overcome these challenges and limitations, researchers propose several potential solutions for future development of QML on near-term quantum devices. One such solution is the development of more robust quantum algorithms that can efficiently handle noise and limited qubit connectivity.
Another solution is the exploration of new hardware architectures that can provide larger qubit connectivity or improved noise resilience. By developing more advanced quantum hardware, researchers aim to unlock the full potential of QML on near-term devices.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the current state of Quantum Machine Learning (QML) on near-term quantum devices is a rapidly growing field with significant advancements in supervised and unsupervised learning techniques. Despite challenges and limitations, researchers propose several potential solutions for future development of QML on near-term devices.
The exploration of QML has opened up new possibilities for tackling complex problems in various domains, such as High Energy Physics, Healthcare, Finance, and more. By combining machine learning with quantum computing, researchers aim to develop new algorithms that can efficiently solve problems that are classically intractable.
As the field continues to evolve, it is essential to address the challenges and limitations of QML on near-term devices to unlock its full potential. With continued research and development, QML has the potential to revolutionize various fields and provide significant benefits to society.
Publication details: “Quantum machine learning on near-term quantum devices: Current state of supervised and unsupervised techniques for real-world applications”
Publication Date: 2024-06-04
Authors: Yaswitha Gujju, Atsushi Matsuo and Rudy Raymond
Source: Physical Review Applied
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevapplied.21.067001
