Alibaba Quantum Computing Laboratory
Alibaba Quantum Computing Laboratory (AQCL) is a research institute created by Alibaba Group in 2015. The laboratory was established to accelerate the development of quantum computing technologies and acquire expertise in the field. The research center is based in Hangzhou, China, and its main objective is to build a platform that can speed up the progress on the development of quantum technologies in different areas of application.
AQCL is made up of a team of professionals from different backgrounds, including computer science, physics, mathematics, chemistry and engineering. They work together to pioneer new technologies that break through conventional barriers and accelerate the development of quantum computing devices. AQCL is one of the leading research institutes in quantum computing technology in China, and has attracted top talents to work in fields related to theoretical research, numerical simulation and experimental quantum physics.
The laboratory focuses on several areas of research, including the exploration of the foundational principles of quantum computing, the design and development of software and hardware, quantum cryptography, quantum communication and quantum machine learning. They also engage in research on solving problems using quantum computing techniques, with the aim of providing solutions for various industries.
One of the most significant contributions of AQCL is their development of algorithms and software for quantum computing devices. The laboratory has produced a full-stack quantum software development platform called AliQuantum, which supports programming in multiple quantum languages such as Qiskit, Cirq and F#, and it is integrated with major quantum simulators and a cloud quantum computer platform, which allows developers to execute algorithms and experiments remotely. The laboratory has also contributed to the development of a set of quantum simulators, including a quantum computation simulator, quantum communication simulator and quantum machine learning simulator.
Furthermore, AQCL has established partnerships and collaborations with other industry leaders, universities and research institutions, both in China and around the world, in order to advance the state-of-the-art in quantum computing technology. For example, it has collaborated with researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), the University of Science and Technology of China and others, to publish papers on quantum computing and quantum cryptography.
The laboratory also works with Alibaba Group’s business units to explore practical applications of quantum computing in different areas, including e-commerce, financial services, logistics and transportation, entertainment, security and more. Specifically, in e-commerce, AQCL has been researching how to use quantum algorithms to solve supply chain optimization problems; in financial services, they are exploring the potential of quantum machine learning to improve investment strategies and fraud detection.
