Google researcher Craig Gidney is optimizing quantum circuits to run Shor’s algorithm, a process that could eventually crack modern encryption systems.
Key facts
- •Craig Gidney joined Google in 2017 as a software engineer and taught himself quantum computing.
- •Shor’s algorithm, discovered in 1994, is capable of factoring large numbers to break modern encryption.
- •Gidney’s team reduced the estimated qubit requirement for Shor’s algorithm from 100 million to 500,000.
- •The largest quantum computing arrays currently consist of just over 6,000 qubits.
- •The National Institute of Standards and Technology began testing post-quantum encryption algorithms in 2017.
Craig Gidney, a researcher at Google Quantum AI, is leading efforts to optimize Shor’s algorithm for quantum computers. While the algorithm is capable of breaking current encryption standards, Gidney aims to prove the viability of quantum computing and encourage the development of post-quantum security measures. His work has significantly reduced the estimated number of qubits required to execute the algorithm, accelerating discussions about the timeline for quantum-enabled decryption.
By the numbers
Optimizing Quantum Circuits
Gidney specializes in quantum circuit optimization, developing methods to perform complex tasks with fewer qubits. In March, Gidney and his colleagues published research suggesting that Shor’s algorithm could be executed with 500,000 qubits, a 200-fold improvement over previous estimates from 2018 that required over 100 million qubits. While current state-of-the-art quantum arrays contain just over 6,000 qubits, this research has prompted increased interest in quantum-safe cybersecurity.
Security and Q-Day
The potential for a quantum computer to break encryption is known as Q-Day. Gidney views his research as a way to inform the security community about the necessity of transitioning to post-quantum encryption standards, such as those identified by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology in 2022. He argues that his work helps clarify the urgency of implementing these protections, which he acknowledges will be a costly and difficult engineering process.
Timeline
- 1994Peter Shor discovered the algorithm capable of breaking encryption on quantum computers.
- 2017Craig Gidney joined Google and the National Institute of Standards and Technology began testing post-quantum encryption.
- 2018Estimates indicated over 100 million qubits were needed to run Shor's algorithm.
- 2022The National Institute of Standards and Technology announced new standards for safe encryption.
- MarchGidney and colleagues published an estimate of 500,000 qubits for the algorithm.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by New Scientist.
