I finally made the move to start learning how to use the Qiskit library for running so-called “quantum” computing operations.
This subject has interested me since 2019, when I first got the book "Programming Quantum Computers: Essential Algorithms and Code Samples" from O′Reilly. The hype back then was massive. I even got the chance to work for a “post-quantum” encryption startup, implementing a new type of quantum-safe encryption algorithm.
But eventually, the Generative AI boom (LLMs and Diffusion models) caught up, and my focus shifted. Still, as a fun anecdote, I added the title “Quantum Shaman” to my social media handles—a sign of my persistent fascination with this weird and interesting field.
The Return of the Hype
In the last couple of months, I started seeing those apocalyptic titles on my news feed again: “Is the crypto-currency market about to be deleted by quantum computing??” Seeing stocks like D-Wave, Rigetti, and Quantinuum climbing pushed me to ponder the quantum field once more. I decided to dive back in and relearn the basic concepts. But this round, I had more than just a book. I had the help of Gemini, ChatGPT, and Claude. I went straight to the IBM Quantum Platform, registered to use their actual hardware, and asked my loyal LLM partners to help me write code that would run on a real quantum processor.
Firing Microwaves at Artificial Atoms
My first script was a simple 2-qubit system using Superposition and Entanglement to demonstrate validity—my first real steps in the quantum world.
I have to say, this was exciting! Running my script on a real machine meant I was actually firing microwave pulses at a Josephson Junction circuit. Somewhere in IBM’s infrastructure, a super-modern dilution refrigerator was processing my commands.
But I soon learned there was a big difference between just running code and actually understanding it. I did some research into the hardware: from artificial atoms to firing lasers on Rubidium Vapor, to Superconductive Aluminum and Magnetic Flux.
What Actually IS a Quantum Computer?
I had many questions, but the one I couldn’t grasp was: "If the underlying technologies are so different (lasers vs. microwaves), what is the actual definition of a quantum machine?" To answer this, I went to read “The Physical Implementation of Quantum Computation” by David P. DiVincenzo. This paper is considered the "Constitution" of quantum hardware.
With an LLM guiding me through the density of the paper, I learned the DiVincenzo Criteria: Scalable Qubits Initialization (The ability to reset) Long Coherence Times (The "battery life" of the state) Universal Set of Gates Measurement Capability