Yet creating a powerful quantum computer is not an easy task and involves many downsides.
Yet creating a powerful quantum computer is not an easy task and involves many downsides. The sensitivity of the quantum computing system to extreme temperatures is one of the main disadvantages. For the system to function properly, it must be close to absolute zero temperature, which constitutes a major engineering challenge. In addition, the qubit quality is not where it needs to be. After a given number of instructions, qubits produce inaccurate results, and quantum computers lack error correction to fix this issue. With the number of wires or lasers needed to make each qubit, maintaining control is difficult, especially if one is aiming to create a million-qubit chip. Additionally, quantum computing is very expensive: a single qubit could cost up to around $10,000.Footnote5 Finally, standard information systems and encryption approaches would be overwhelmed by the processing power of quantum computers if they are used for malicious purposes. The reliance of these computers on the principles of quantum physics makes them able to decrypt the most secure data (e.g., bank records, government secrets, and Internet/email passwords). Cryptographic experts around the world will need to develop encryption techniques that are resistant to attacks that may be issued by quantum computers.