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In brief Quantum computers can generate "certifiably random" numbers that are truly unhackable, unlike traditional computers.Researchers used a 56-qubit quantum computer to create 70,000+ verified random bits that would require massive supercomputing power to fake.True randomness could revolutionize security for encryption, blockchain, and digital signatures, though implementation remains challenging.Decrypt’s Art, Fashion, and Entertainment Hub. Discover SCENEA team of researchers from JP Morgan Chase, Quantinuum, and others has shown that quantum computers can produce “certifiably random” numbers, potentially improving how we secure everything from banking to voting systems.It turns out that the random numbers some computer programs use aren’t so random.In cryptography—the tech underlying two-factor authentication and passkeys for instance—random numbers are generated to secure systems from hackers. But traditional computers typically use algorithms that only mimic randomness, and are actually based on an algorithmic formula, making them potentially hackable if someone figures out the pattern."Imagine we have a list that starts with 'Ace of Diamonds' and ends 53 items later with a Joker. To shuffle this on a computer, I might use the Knuth Shuffle, which is a well-known algorithm. The problem is that if we run the algorithm on our ordered 'deck' with the same 'seed' again, we get the same 'shuffled' output," Clyde Williamson, senior product security architect at data security firm Protegrity, told Decrypt.The breakthrough, published in Nature, demonstrated that the team was able to achieve certified randomness, meaning that the numbers were demonstrably random and unhackable.Using Quantinuum's 56-qubit trapped-ion computer, the research team generated over 70,000 certified random bits in a process that took mere seconds per bit to create, but would require four of the world's top supercomputers working nonstop to fake—as in, generating a similar sequence with a mathematical formula that would make the process seem deterministic.The numbers were later verified by a group of supercomputers capable of proving there was not a mathematical algorithm involved in their generation.The achievement marks a meaningful step beyond previous quantum computing claims that often involved contrived tasks with little real-world value. This time, the application tackled a fundamental challenge in cybersecurity: creating random numbers that are provably unbiased and unpredictable."Traditional random number generation faces two major challenges: the potential for manipulation or predictability in entropy sources, and weaknesses in the algorithms used by pseudo-random number generators to expand that entropy," Kee Jefferys, co-founder of encrypted messaging app Session—and co-author of the proof-of-stake privacy coin Oxen’s Whitepaper—told Decrypt

With the industry's most advanced quantum systems and proven ability to scale, Quantinuum is on track to deliver utility-scale quantum computing by early 2030sBROOMFIELD, Colo., April 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Quantinuum, the industry leader in quantum computing with the world's most powerful quantum computer, has been selected by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), a research and development agency of the United States Department of Defense, to participate in the first stage of the agency's Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI).QBI aims to assess the feasibility of building an industrially useful quantum computer by 2033. Successful QBI performers will advance through stages A, B, and C; Stage A requires performers to describe their utility-scale quantum computer with a path to near-term realization, where utility-scale means the computational value exceeds costs.As validated in a recent independent benchmarking study by a group of institutions at the forefront of quantum computing research, Quantinuum's quantum systems are the highest performing in the industry. Last year, Quantinuum published its development roadmap, outlining a path to a universal, fully-fault tolerant quantum computer by 2029. Beyond this public roadmap, Quantinuum plans to scale to even larger machines in the early part of the 2030s, aligning with the objectives of QBI."We are honored to collaborate with DARPA and look forward to working closely with their test and evaluation team as they assess our roadmap and technological approach," said Dr. Rajeeb Hazra, President and CEO of Quantinuum. "With our roadmap firmly on track, we are confident in our ability to deliver on DARPA's objectives for QBI."Microsoft and NVIDIA will take part in Quantinuum's Stage A effort, building on their long-standing collaborations with Quantinuum in advancing commercially scalable quantum computing.About QuantinuumQuantinuum is the world leader in quantum computing