Zapata Computing and L3Harris will be working with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to explore quantum computing solutions for the Department of Defense (DOD) and other industries. The project involves developing hardware-agnostic benchmarks that will guide the practical application of quantum computing and how it can support broader industry applications. The project will measure progress toward specific quantum computing challenges, such as:
- Creating new materials;
- Simulating fluid dynamics;
- Real-time machine learning;
- Engineering design optimization; and
- Creating benchmarks from real-world computational problems that can be used to compare the performance of different quantum hardware and algorithms.
The approximately $7M DARPA contract award will be led by boston-based Zapata Computing, a software company that builds solutions to enterprises’ most computationally complex problems using artificial intelligence, machine learning, and quantum techniques. The project is supported by L3Harris. The project also involves collaboration with other industry partners, such as BBVA Corporation, BP, Copernic Catalysts, Mitsubishi Chemical, and academic partners at the University of Toronto. These partners will provide domain expertise and use cases for the quantum computing benchmarks. (1)
DARPA also announced contracts awarded to Raytheon BBN and USC for the same Quantum Benchmarking Program.
Thirty Scenarios Already Delivered by the Project
Zapata has already delivered 30 quantum computing challenge scenarios to DARPA alongside L3Harris. The scenarios will help determine potential quantum computing benefits across defense, chemistry, finance, machine learning, and other areas. These scenarios will help determine the potential benefits and limitations of quantum computing across various domains and applications. The project will also provide a roadmap for how quantum technology can be utilized by the DOD and other industries in the future. The scenarios will also be used to measure progress toward the specific quantum computing challenges mentioned above (creating new materials, simulating fluid dynamics, etc.).
The DARPA Quantum Benchmarking (QB) Program
Dr. Joe Altepeter, a DARPA Program Manager in the Defense Sciences Office, explores quantum and quantum-inspired technologies, novel sensors and imaging systems, hyperspectral awareness, and the visualization of useful data from complex physical systems. He provided the following succinct description of DARPA QB “Stake in the Ground”:
It has been credibly hypothesized that quantum computers will revolutionize multiple scientific and technical fields within the next few decades. Examples include:
- Machine learning
- Quantum chemistry
- Materials discovery
- Molecular simulation
- Many-body physics
- Classification:
- Nonlinear dynamics:
- Supply chain optimization:
- Drug discovery:
- Battery catalysis:
- Genomic analysis:
- Fluid dynamics: and
- Protein structure prediction.
For many of these examples, like quantum chemistry and protein structure prediction, quantum computers are hypothesized to be useful simulators because the target problem is inherently quantum mechanical. Other examples, like classification and nonlinear dynamics, center around problems that have nothing to do with quantum systems, but involve combinatorial complexity that is intractable for conventional computers.
For each of the fields listed above, it is unclear exactly what size, quality, and configuration of quantum computer – if any – will enable the hypothesized revolutionary advances.
The Quantum Benchmarking program will estimate the long-term utility of quantum computers by creating new benchmarks that quantitatively measure progress towards specific, transformational computational challenges. In parallel, the program will estimate the hardware-specific resources required to achieve different levels of benchmark performance. (2)
The Initial Broad Agency Announcement: Quantum Benchmarking
The RFP for the DARPA quantum benchmarking program was a solicitation for innovative research proposals in the area of quantum computing applications. The RFP was issued by the Defense Sciences Office at DARPA under the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) number HR001121S0026 for the Quantum Benchmarking program led by Dr. Altepeter.
The program aims to develop rigorous and scalable methods for characterizing, verifying, and validating the performance of quantum systems and algorithms. The program also seeks to establish a common framework and metrics for benchmarking quantum systems across different platforms and modalities.
The program has three technical areas:
- Quantum Characterization, Verification, and Validation (QCVV), which focuses on developing novel techniques and protocols for assessing the quality and reliability of quantum systems;
- Quantum Algorithm Benchmarking (QAB), which focuses on developing efficient and scalable methods for evaluating the performance and complexity of quantum algorithms; and
- Quantum Benchmarking Integration (QBI), which focuses on integrating the QCVV and QAB methods into a unified benchmarking framework and applying it to various quantum platforms.
The program solicited proposals from researchers who have expertise in quantum information science, computer science, mathematics, physics, engineering, or related fields. (3)
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