In 2008, when artificial intelligence (AI) was just emerging, scientists believed that they would not be able to enter everyday life earlier than in 50-60 years. However, already in 2012, a revolution occurred in the field of neural networks, and now AI is actively changing almost all spheres of our life. The development of quantum computers might follow the same scenario.
The breakthrough in the field of artificial intelligence in 2012 showed: technologies need real application, and for this, business must invest in development and growth. This is what Olga Uskova, the founder and president of Cognitive Technologies, believes. At the Future Technology Forum, she shared her own forecasts about when quantum computers will enter everyday life.
"Fanatics, freeloaders and wait-and-see"
All serious discoveries that claim revolutionary changes in life go through approximately the same stages. In 2008, scientists in the field of artificial intelligence said exactly the same thing that they say today about quantum computers. Then, within three years, a revolution occurs in the field of neural networks, and scientists offer a fundamentally different approach. So artificial intelligence came into the real plane already in 2012.
From the statement of the most weighty world developers to the revolution and transition to the real plane, only 3-4 years have passed. In my opinion, a very similar story is currently developing in quantum computing.
As a specialist, constantly interacting with advanced developments and scientific groups, she divides experts in this field into three groups: fanatics, freeloaders, and wait-and-see.
I would divide people into three great groups. The first is fanatics, those people to whom God has given a vision of working with the quantum direction. Of course, the flow is international. Like any great work, it is created in parallel in different parts of the planet. Time comes, and the upward movement begins, it is impossible to stop it. The second group is freeloaders. Those people who catch the hype, understand that in this area - grants, the interest of the state and professionally, managerial, work with this direction on very large budgets. The third group is wait-and-see, curious. Neuroscientists came out of the second group. At the moment, this group is the most interesting, because it is the most dynamic, vibrant, and affects the whole situation.
People are the most important
The founder of Cognitive Technologies notes: the development of technologies is always backed by teams of people. This applies to Western technologies (for example, Elon Musk's team), and domestic ones. However, if business was not interested in the development of AI, progress could have gone in a completely different way.
In one year, neural networks dramatically appeared everywhere. Chat GPT, Midjourney and other networks have changed the face of all zones of human existence. For example, inside smartphones, about 30% of processes are serviced by one or another form of artificial intelligence: advertising, financial systems, social networks, basic content management, information collection, and so on.
We have long been covered with artificial intelligence. And such penetration requires more and more delivery to iron. Since we, for example, produce hardware-software complexes, for us processing speeds – this is a matter of markets, that is, this is one and our key issues. At the same time, it is necessary to understand: when the Internet arose, the darknet immediately arose. After the emergence of artificial intelligence, "dark-artificial intelligence" appeared. In this zone we see the most immediate need for the use of quantum computers.
According to her, without a real order, science is dead. Scientists and science cannot exist only on government grants. On the contrary - for the development of science, it is important to develop the market, and here the synergy with real sectors of the economy is important.
There is no market, no customers, scientists live only on grants and in this sense there will be neither science, nor applications. This situation is unfolding exclusively by internal order and the emergence of teams that are not oriented to court life. Duke of quantum computing or baroness of quantum business — separately. It's not a business, it's court life.
The issue of the future of artificial intelligence and quantum technologies was discussed at the Future Technologies Forum, organized by the Roscongress Foundation with the support of the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation and the Russian Academy of Sciences.