How quantum computing could save the NHS
Quantum computing shoul be embedded into the daily lives of doctors on the NHS frontline, writes Ilyas Khan, founder of Quantinuum, in today’s Notebook
The scale of the NHS’ healthcare challenge is undeniable. The UK is getting older, healthcare needs are becoming more complex and there is an increasing emphasis on supporting longer, but also healthier and more dignified lives. Above all, society expects that we take care of those who suffer illness and accidents.
The government is openly committed to improve the NHS and take advantage of new technologies.
This commitment is matched by the ambitions of the UK’s world leading National Quantum Strategy – which as the first UK quantum company we have supported for a decade – and the recent AI Opportunities Action Plan. But to truly deliver change, the government’s ideas will leave policy papers and move into the hands of frontline workers.
Technology provides an opportunity to make real progress on improving outcomes for patients. Our work at Quantinuum is dedicated to turning groundbreaking scientific research into practical results, combining quantum computers and AI with software for researchers in fields like pharmaceuticals and computational biology.
Doctors, nurses and midwives on the NHS frontline are uniquely placed to unlock the value of AI and quantum through their daily interactions with patients, identifying opportunities to improve treatments and ultimately save lives.
To get these technologies into their hands, last week we partnered with NHS clinicians on an AI and quantum hackathon to support the innovators within our health service make the breakthroughs that could really matter to patients. The winner worked on a personalised cancer treatment dashboard using machine learning and quantum optimisation to design tailored treatments for better patient outcomes.
Large-scale, ambitious partnerships are needed between business and government that match the size of the challenges facing not only the NHS but all public services, driving transformative change across society.
Supporting piece
We need to democratise quantum computing
I was fortunate enough to serve as the inaugural chairman of the Stephen Hawking Foundation. One idea Stephen held dear was that science should be accessible to all. “Bringing science to the people,” he wrote, “brings people into science”.
This year, the UN International Year of Quantum commemorates a centenary of quantum mechanics and the global technology movement that has grown up around it. Carlo Rovelli, one of quantum theory’s most eloquent interpreters, notes it continues to challenge our deepest assumptions about the nature of reality. Quantum theory implies that objects, right down to the tiniest particles, are defined not in themselves, but by their relationships to other objects.
Fortunately, through open and collaborative research, we harnessed this deep insight to build quantum computers designed to solve previously impossible problems such as helping AI to discover new medicines.
Quantum computing has the potential to improve the prospects of humankind, but only if it remains accessible to all, rather than concentrated in the hands of a few. The stakes are high, but through open access, global collaboration and equitable policies and combining quantum computing with AI, we can and must make quantum computing a force for shared prosperity.
How can quantum help finance?
In over a decade since I founded a quantum computing company, I’ve been closely involved with many scientific or technical “world-firsts”. Few have been firsts that could immediately solve complex real-world problems. That’s why our announcement with JP Morgan Chase last month was so exciting.
Using our industry-leading H2 quantum computer, we generated certifiably quantum random numbers, with a technique that offers near-term value in industries like cryptography and finance – proving quantum’s potential to transform the way we do business now and into the future.
A recommendation
I recommend Helgoland by Carlo Rovelli for anyone interested in exploring quantum computing – it is a highly readable exploration of the theory behind these revolutionary machines.
Ilyas Khan is founder and chief product officer of Quantinuum