Quantum service has found Korean clients

Microsoft Korea on Thursday announced that Microsoft’s cloud-based quantum computing tools had attracted some Korean clients but declined to provide any further specifics.

The tech giant previously rolled out its Azure Quantum service, which, similar to other cloud-based services being sold by competitors Google, IBM and Amazon, provides developers access to experimental quantum computing hardware.

Quantum computers, which most experts agree remain a long way from commercial viability, run on quantum bits or “qubits.” Unlike the bits used in conventional computers that exist in binary states - either 1 or 0 - qubits can exist in multiple states and thus allow for much more storage of information than the bit-based system, an attribute called superposition.

Shin Yong-nyuo, national technology officer at Microsoft Korea, said the supercomputers have the potential to solve large, high-stakes issues such as disease control and global warming.

“[Quantum computing] can address the issue of [the] low-hitting record of climate prediction and will be capable of assessing global warming via simulation,” Shin said.

The preview version of Microsoft’s quantum computing service has been made available both at home and abroad since the end of last year.

Microsoft is cooperating with IT units Honeywell International, IonQ, and Quantum Circuits in providing the service, of which its clients include a total of 50 institutes, companies and universities, the company says.

Still, the Korean unit of the tech behemoth declined to comment on local clients.

BY PARK EUN-JEE [park.eunjee@joongang.co.kr]