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The next decade promises to offer both incredible opportunity and challenge for all of us. Technologies like artificial intelligence (and its close friend, machine learning) will no longer be considered new but will instead be at the heart of some huge disruptive changes that will run right through our society. In particular, AI will start to enable the automation of many things that were previously deemed too complex or even too human.

Well see these changes at work traditional professions like accountancy, lawyers and others will, over time, see significant portions of what they do be taken over by virtual robots. Vocations such as lorry drivers, taxi drivers and even chefs may disappear as machines are introduced to perform the same function but with more consistent results and less risk.

Well also see these changes at home as AI will bring a host of new changes to how we live. AI will help us speak any language to anyone in the world, it will help us discover and create new content and maybe even help us decide what food to eat and when we should rest (and for how long!) in order to help us live lives that are not just more healthy, but more productive and of course more fun.

Well (hopefully) see these changes at school and in education too when we finally realise that in the 21st century, simply knowing stuff is no longer enough. Instead we might seek to use AI to build personalised learning schemes that tailor learning for every unique student such that they can reach their true potential regardless of their background, ability to learn or particular strengths and weaknesses. This could also mean the end of exams and tests as we know it as we move away from the unnecessary stress and futility of a single measure of knowledge taken at a single moment in time to a world of continuous assessment, where the system is able to measure progress as a by-product of the work that the student does every single day.

As for the technology itself, its going to continue to get quicker, cheaper, more powerful and smaller. Your huge smartphone may not be so huge by the time we get to 2030, in fact it may not be a phone at all but instead a small implant that you have inserted under your skin, just like the one we use today for our pets

Well also see the introduction of new game changing technologies like Quantum Computing. Dont be fooled, this is not just another computer but faster, the power and potential Quantum Computing offers us is almost unimaginable. Todays quantum computers are limited, complex machines that require an extreme environment in which to run, (most early quantum computers need to run at -273 degrees centigrade so dont think youre going to see one in your office or your home any time soon. But they are important because of the scale at which they operate. In simple terms, the power of todays quantum computers is measured at around 50 cubits (a cubit is a quantum computers measure of power, a bit like the digital equivalent of horse power), scientists believe that when we can get Quantum computers to 500 cubits, those computers will be able to answer as many questions as there are atoms in the world and at the same time! This is a kind of computational power that we cant even begin to imagine.

Oh and robots too. These wont be the industrial robots youre used to seeing, they might not even be the science fiction looking robots (you know, the ones that start as friends and then take over the world). These robots are going to be not just our friends, theyll be a part of our families. Its already started. If you have a smart speaker at home, youve got an early ancestor of something that will end up becoming your own personal C3PO, not just there to help you but there to provide companionship and friendship while you go about your busy lives.

But all this wont be without some risks.

Massive parts of our current labour market will be challenged by the rise of the machines. Our kids will continue to lack the skills theyre going to need to thrive and we adults are going to struggle to make sense of it all at home and at work.

The machines wont be perfect either, seeing as theyre created by humans, they end up with some human problems as a result, algorithmic bias will be one of the defining challenges of 2020 and beyond and its going to take a lot of human effort to get all of us to a point where we can trust our lives to the algorithms alone.

The good news in all of this is that the end result is still ultimately down to us humans. The real answer to what 2020 will hold for technology and how it affects us in our everyday lives will continue to be all about how we humans choose to use it. Im hopeful for a new era in 2020, one where we turn the corner in our relationship with technology and look not for dystopia, but instead we seek to ensure everyone has the right skills and ambition to build the utopia we deserve. To get there we need to teach our kids (and ourselves!) to break free of the technology that traps and disconnects us, an instead use the same technology to elevate what we could achieve not by replacing us, but by freeing us to do all of the amazing things that the technology alone cannot do. The best future awaits those that can combine the best of technological capability with the best of human ability.

Dave Coplin is former Chief Envisioning Officer for Microsoft UK, he has written two books, worked all over the world with organisations, individuals and governments all with the goal of demystifying technology and championing it as a positive transformation in our society.

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2020 and beyond: Tech trends and human outcomes - Accountancy Age

IBM Corp. said today its teaming up with the University of Tokyo to create a new Japan-IBM Quantum Partnershipthat will focus on advancing the adoption of quantum computers in order to benefit science, industry and society.

IBM said the partnership would have three areas of focus, including the development of quantum applications for industry and the development of quantum computing hardware, with an aim to advance the state of quantum science and education.

The initiative will also see an IBM Q System One(pictured) installed at one of the companys facilities in Japan. The system was launched in January and is said to be the worlds first-ever circuit-based commercial quantum computer.

There are currently two such machines in operation one in the U.S. and one in Germany. Once the system is installed in Japan, IBM and University of Tokyo researchers intend to use it to aid their research into quantum algorithms and practical quantum applications.

IBM and the University of Tokyo also plan to create a quantum system technology center focused on developing and testing new quantum hardware.University of Tokyo President Makoto Gonokami said in a statement that his institution would place a much higher priority on quantum programming going forward.

Quantum computing is one of the most crucial technologies in the coming decades, which is why we are setting up this broad partnership framework with IBM, Gonokami said. We expect this effort to further strengthen Japans quantum research and development activities and build world-class talent.

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IBM partners with the University of Tokyo on quantum computing initiative - SiliconANGLE News

Its not easy to say that any particular space or astronomy development was the most important in a given year. But if we had to choose some highlights, wed opt for these unforgettable events and findings.

You probably know the broad outline of the story: 66 million years ago, a giant meteorite landed in what is now the Gulf of Mexico, and ended the dinosaurs. This year, various teams of scientists, working independently, helped fill in the picture of exactly what happened on that fateful day.

The biggest discovery was a site in North Dakota that preserved a jumble of fossilized fish and plant life that may have been thrown together by a tsunami on the very day of the meteorite strike. Closer to the impact site, scientists also cataloged a geological timeline of disasters that befell Earth that day. And researchers detailed evidence found in Europe that the Chicxulub event acidified the ocean in a flash, extinguishing much of Earths ocean life at the time.

An exhaustive analysis of hundreds of bird species in the United States and Canada contained a warning: The majority of bird species are in decline, many by huge numbers. The likely culprits? Habitat loss and pesticides.

This year we met a new extinct human relative, Homo luzonensis. It was discovered in a cave on Luzon Island in the Philippines, and adds further complexity to the story of human evolution.

It really does. Clive Wynne, a psychologist specializing in dog behavior, contends that what makes your furry friend special is not its intellect but its ability to bond with you. And not just with you. The dogs ability to bond across species with sheep, goats, even (horrors!) cats makes them an evolutionary success story.

Your cat may or may not like-like you. But it is strongly bonded to you, and in an unfamiliar situation, when it feels threatened, it is likely to turn to you for comfort.

Almond milk is over. Oat milk is canceled. Whats in? Spider milk. Burying beetle milk. Great white shark milk. Flamingo milk. Which raises the question: what exactly is milk? Not all experts agree, but some scientists say that if a substance is synthesized or highly modified by a parent, and the offsprings life depends on it, thats milk. Now excuse us while we put out cookies and pink flamingo milk for Santa.

At home, Russia, like the United States and other countries around the world, has embraced the promise of 5G, the next generation of cellphone technology. But in the U.S., RT America, the broadcast network run by the Russian government, has been warning American viewers that the telecommunications technology will kill and disable children. Many alarming claims about 5G technology are linked to bad, debunked science. The U.S. intelligence agencies describe RT America as the Kremlins principal international propaganda outlet. The network has taken aim at fracking, vaccination and even the U.S. electoral process; now it has applied its playbook to cellphones.

Thirteen species of salmon and steelhead trout are considered threatened or endangered in the Northwests Columbia basin region. Wild Chinook salmon could disappear within the next 20 years, according to one Forest Service expert. The fish are a keystone food source for other species, and an endangered population of orcas may be starving for lack of enough wild salmon to eat. Many scientists favor removing dams on some rivers to save the orcas and the fish. But the idea faces resistance from government agencies that manage the rivers.

A video of salmon traveling through a long tube went viral in 2019. You probably watched it. But the Whooshh cannon its actual name is a serious tool that conservationists are testing not only to help fish migrate, but to contain invasive carp that foul North American waterways. If it doesnt work, scientists have other ideas, like koi herpes.

Robert Ballard, the ocean explorer who found the wreck of the Titanic, set his sights on solving the enigma of Amelia Earharts fate. Following an irresistible hint, his crew headed to the Pacific island nation of Kiribati, spending weeks searching for her crashed plane by air, land and sea. They returned empty-handed, but with one bit of solace: A blurry clue from an old picture, which had driven years of speculation about Earharts final resting place, can probably be dismissed for good.

The North Pole is at the very top of the world, right? Actually, the planets magnetic north is a considerable distance from 90 degrees north, and it moves around. Lately it has moved more than expected, requiring scientists to update the World Magnetic Model a year earlier than planned. The tinkering ensures that modern navigation tools will continue to function properly, but it is a reminder of the geoscience mysteries deep beneath Earths surface.

When does life end and death begin? Scientists seem to have blurred that line when they managed to restore cellular activity in brains removed from slaughtered pigs. Although the pig brains did not exhibit any higher functions, some cells regained metabolic activity. The research is preliminary, but it upends standard medical thinking about the brain and raises more than a few metaphysical conundrums.

Happy 150th birthday to the Periodic Table of Elements! As scientists celebrated Dmitri Mendeleevs enduring array of chemical elements this year, some also wondered whether there might be a better way to organize the stuff of the universe. A New and Improved Table could come in handy: As more superheavy elements are discovered, their behaviors could challenge the integrity of Mendeleevs memorable chart.

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What We Learned in Science News 2019 - The New York Times

International Business Machines Corporation IBM recently entered into an alliance with the University of Tokyo to form the Japan-IBM Quantum Partnership, with an aim to make advancements in quantum computing field.

Per the deal, IBMs IBM Q System One will be installed in the companys facility in Japan. This will mark the third installation globally subsequent to the United States and Germany.

IBM and University of Tokyo will utilize Q System One to focus on research and development of quantum computing system, algorithms and applications; and enhance the status of quantum science education in Japan.

Both the entities aim to develop a laboratory facility, part of quantum system technology center, focused on testing and devising of innovative hardware components, including advanced microwave and cryogenic test capabilities.

We believe the latest partnership will aid the company in enhancing research in quantum computing field and increasing efficiency of its quantum computing systems and services.

Quantum Computing: Long-term Prospects

Quantum computing technologies can revolutionize commerce, cloud security, drug discovery, and supply chain and logistics, defense and military domains.

Technology companies in collaboration with quantum physicists are focusing on delivering solutions to facilitate the development of fault-tolerant algorithms, viable and scalable, quantum computer to address issues beyond current advanced supercomputing capabilities.

With these latest quantum computing initiatives, IBM also aims to aid enterprises in accelerating financial modeling processes and address technical problems in real-time.

Notably, cognitive systems such as IBM Watson run on classical computers and are capable of finding patterns and insights by deciphering large amount of data. However, in the absence of any such recognizable patterns, these systems are not of much use.

International Business Machines Corporation Revenue (TTM)

International Business Machines Corporation Revenue (TTM)

International Business Machines Corporation revenue-ttm | International Business Machines Corporation Quote

This is where quantum computers come into play as they are capable of providing solutions to problems where recognizable patterns dont exist.

Moreover, the global quantum computing market is gaining momentum on the back of growing need for model capability boost and simulation of complex data.

Per a report from MarketsandMarkets, this particular market is expected to reach $93 million in 2019 and $283 million by 2024, witnessing a CAGR of 24.9%.

Further, a Tractica report indicates that revenues in the enterprise quantum computing market worldwide are anticipated to reach $9.1 billion by 2030.

Growing worldwide spending on quantum computing will act as a key catalyst in this regard. Notably, this is being led by government and academia institution funding.

Not surprisingly then, competition in the sector is intensifying with the presence of major players such as Microsoft MSFT , Amazon AMZN , Alphabets GOOGL Google and Intel, and others including D-Wave Systems, 1QB Information Technologies, QxBranch, to name a few.

Tech Majors Initiatives in Quantum Computing

The notable tech players are leaving no stone unturned to commercialize and democratize quantum computing into enterprise domain.

Amazons latest preview launch of Amazon Braket by Amazon Web Service (AWS) at the AWS re:Invent event, is worth mentioning. Meanwhile, Microsoft Azure recently announced Azure Quantum, a full-stack, open cloud ecosystem providing a diverse set of quantum services.

Moreover, Intel recently unveiled Horse Ridge, which the chipmaker claims to be first-of-its-kind cryogenic control chip aimed at commercialization of quantum computers. Intels research on silicon spin qubits to address the challenges pertaining to refrigerating of the quantum system, are noteworthy.

Nonetheless, IBMs endeavor in the rapidly growing quantum computing field along with its strategic initiatives is expected to boost financial performance, in the days ahead.

Zacks Rank

IBM currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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IBM, University of Tokyo Partner on Quantum Computing Project - Yahoo Finance

Intel Labs has unveiled what it believes to be a first-of-its-kind cryogenic control chip code-named Horse Ridge that is aimed at speeding up the development of full-stack quantum computing systems.

According to Intel, Horse Ridge will enable control of multiple quantum bits (qubits) and set a clear path toward scaling larger systems a major milestone on the path to quantum practicality.

Developed together with Intels research collaborators at QuTech, a partnership between TU Delft and TNO (Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research), Horse Ridge is fabricated using Intels 22nm FinFET Low Power (22FFL) technology. In-house fabrication of these control chips at Intel will dramatically accelerate the companys ability to design, test and optimize a commercially viable quantum computer.

Quantum computers promise the potential to tackle problems that conventional computers cant handle by leveraging a phenomena of quantum physics that allows qubits to exist in multiple states simultaneously. As a result, qubits can conduct a large number of calculations at the same time dramatically speeding up complex problem-solving.

While there has been a lot of emphasis on the qubits themselves, the ability to control many qubits at the same time had been a challenge for the industry," said Jim Clarke, Intels director of Quantum Hardware. "Intel recognized that quantum controls were an essential piece of the puzzle we needed to solve in order to develop a large-scale commercial quantum system. Thats why we are investing in quantum error correction and controls. With Horse Ridge, Intel has developed a scalable control system that will allow us to significantly speed up testing and realize the potential of quantum computing.

Intel says that in the race to realize the potential of quantum computers, researchers have largely focused extensively on qubit fabrication, building test chips that demonstrate the exponential power of a small number of qubits operating in superposition.

However, it says, in early quantum hardware developments including design, testing and characterization of Intels silicon spin qubit and superconducting qubit systems it has identified a major bottleneck toward realizing commercial-scale quantum computing: interconnects and control electronics.

With Horse Ridge, Intel says it is introducing an elegant solution that will enable the company to control multiple qubits and set a clear path toward scaling future systems to larger qubit counts a major milestone on the path to quantum practicality.

For more information, go to http://www.intel.com.

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Intel Achieves Milestone in Quantum Practicality with 'Horse Ridge' - Database Trends and Applications