The future direction of Quantum Computing is rapidly increasing as , large companies , Universities and researchers are focusing on the idea of building a Quantum Computer. With a Binary Computer Integer factorization is infeasible , for large integers if they are a product of few prime numbers ( products of two digit 300 digit primes). But with a Quantum computer these sums can efficiently be solved with Shor's algorithm to find a numbers factors. One wall for Quantum Computing is Cryptographic algorithms which are not broken by Quantum Computing algorithms. Lattice based cryptosystems are also not known to be broken by Quantum computers. But if a polynomial time algorithm for solving the dihedral hidden subgroup problem , which if found would break many lattice based cryptosystems. Besides factorization quantum algorithms offer a more polynomial speed-up over the best known classical algorithms found for several problems.
Ways Quantum Computing will Change The World
1. Accurate Weather Forecasting , with quantum computers they will be able to analyse large quantities of data on weather and calculate accurate predictions on the weather. With this technology Governments would be able to give warning on Major Storms and hurricanes. This will allow further evacuation of large cities and areas of people to reduce risk of death and injury.
2. More Efficient Drug Discovery , Quantum computers are able to test trillions of molecular combinations and identify the combinations that would be the most effective for its type. This will cut the cost and time it takes significantly. Which usually takes a few years and millions of dollars. Many drugs developed these days as a small portion of people will react badly to them , so with this process many more drugs which can help people will be made and put onto the market without risk of harming some subset of people.
3. Quantum Computer are able to quickly process the most optimal route . A regular computer to plan a road trip with 10 stops would have to calculate each stop individually and each route that could be taken. Quantum computers could calculate all the route at the same time and have the best route decided the fastest. Also with Air Traffic , quantum computers would allow flight schedules be more efficient and reduce time taken as bottle necks at take off and landing could be avoided.
4. Secure encrypted communication , quantum computer using a process called quantum key distribution. This sends a messaged that has been encrypted and key which can only decipher that message. With this if a third party gains access to the key the the message becomes useless. But then also if nosy governments or hackers gained access to a Quantum Computer , many old school databases encrypted in older methods could easily be deciphered by quantum computers.
5. Military satellites are constantly collecting images , this reaches a point where no human can parse through all this data and look for information. A lot of these images are removed , with quantum computers these images could be scanned and marked as further look needed , for human checking as information could be contained in the image. Regular binary computers are bad at looking for key items in a messy background but quantum computers can excel at this process.
6. One feature many people don't recognise about quantum computers is they learn from experience , for example quantum computers can fix code in programs that don't work. This is known as machine learning , one example that is similar is how your Facebook feed changes to things you are interested in and have looked at. With this concept quantum computers could be driving semi automatic vehicles and also be used in advanced AI.