IBM and IVADO held their first workshop on accelerating discovery through quantum computing and artificial intelligence

On June 17 and 18, 2024, IBM and IVADO invited more than twenty researchers in physics, artificial intelligence, software engineering, natural language processing, and materials engineering to discuss innovative approaches that harness the potential of quantum computing and artificial intelligence to accelerate the development of innovative solutions to major environmental challenges. Organized with the support of the Plateforme d’Innovation Numérique et Quantique du Québec (PINQ2), these two days of work and exchange were held at IBM Research headquarters in Yorktown Heights, New York.

Facilitating access to quantum systems for the research community

Harnessing the power of AI and quantum mechanics promises access to new computational capabilities, with advanced accuracy and speed, paving the way for discoveries that are essential for advancing technologies in renewable energy, the discovery of new molecules or materials, logistics optimization, and more. To achieve this, researchers and industry experts need to work closely together.

“The use of quantum computing (QC) in operational research remains limited to date, although it has enormous potential for both. This workshop was an opportunity to see the state of the art, the current and future advances in QC,” explains Franklin Djeumou Fomeni, professor of operational research at UQAM and workshop participant. “I think it’s high time for us to start integrating this technology into our research work for more robust and efficient solutions”.

These meetings with researchers were also an opportunity for IBM experts to demonstrate the capabilities of currently available quantum systems for applications exploration and how the scientific community could both benefit from and contribute to the advancements in AI and quantum computing.

“The workshop offered a unique platform to interact with researchers and experts from IBM. This facilitated the creation of valuable connections, the exchange of ideas, and the possibility of collaborations,” adds Soumaya Charkaoui, professor in the Department of Computer and Software Engineering at Polytechnique Montréal and IVADO researcher.

“This workshop provided an opportunity to expose researchers in our ecosystem to IBM’s cutting-edge quantum technologies, to discuss fundamental issues essential to the deployment of this technology, and lay the foundations for a consortium aimed at promoting joint scientific activities and stimulating the training of young talents in this advanced field. I’m very optimistic about the success of this nascent collaboration,” concluded Foutse Khomh, IVADO’s Scientific Co-Director and a professor at Polytechnique Montréal.

This workshop is part of a series of collaborations led by IVADO, paving the way for new research projects integrating innovative approaches combining artificial intelligence and quantum computing, to support the objectives of the R³AI project.