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USC has a new agreement with IBM that boosts quantum research by scientists and students and will reinforce the universitys status as a leader in quantum research and a top trainer of the nations tech workforce.

Our new partnership with IBM to expand quantum computing at USC will boost research and innovation in this field and marks a major milestone for our Frontiers of Computing initiative, USC President Carol Folt said. By opening the first IBM Quantum Innovation Center on the West Coast, USC is inviting top researchers and game-changers in industry to join us in shaping the future of quantum computing.

The agreement also accelerates the universitys efforts to achieve the research and education objectives of Folts Frontiers of Computing moonshot, amore than $1 billion initiative that supports ethical advancement in areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics and quantum computing.

USC started official operations as an IBM Quantum Innovation Center on Feb. 1, giving the universitys researchers cloud access to IBM quantum systems.

We are excited to collaborate with USC, not only to help advance their research interests, but to prepare their students to join a rapidly growing quantum workforce, said Jay Gambetta, IBM Fellow and vice president, IBM Quantum. And with increasing industry interest, USC will play an important connector role as an IBM Quantum Innovation Center, providing a path for organizations to jointly develop algorithms and use cases for practical applications of quantum computing.

Across the USC Viterbi School of Engineering and the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, researchers note that the collaboration greatly increases USCs quantum capabilities for research. The powerful computational system of IBMs quantum computers could help them manage complex calculations that may soon be too difficult for ordinary, classical computers that use traditional silicon processors.

The new IBM Quantum Innovation Center at USC will be a pillar in our ability to do cutting-edge research in the area of quantum computing and to train future scientists who will be making exciting discoveries, said Daniel Lidar, the director of the USC Center for Quantum Information Science and Technology who will also direct USCs IBM Quantum Innovation Center.

Until recently, USC had been using IBMs open access plan.

Anyone in the world can run experiments via the cloud using a limited set of IBMs quantum computers, said Lidar, a professor of multiple disciplines electrical and computer engineering, chemistry, physics and astronomy at USC Viterbi and USC Dornsife, and the holder of the Viterbi Professorship. Now, thanks to the IBM Quantum Innovation Center, we can run our experiments on a wider array of the cutting-edge quantum computers that IBM makes available.

The partnership is another plus in USCs favor for students aspiring to enter the field of quantum information science and for Big Tech companies, government contractors and agencies that are recruiting for the specialty. Several dozen students enrolled in the USC Dornsife and USC Viterbi masters program this academic year have been given immediate access to the IBM quantum machines.

The remarkable innovation that underpins quantum computing is the result of decades of knowledge exchange between industry leaders like IBM and academic researchers at universities like USC, USC Dornsife Dean Amber Miller said. Building on this long tradition of collaboration, we will work together to accelerate the quantum revolution and deepen our fundamental understanding of the world.

Quantum computing shows promise as a revolutionary technology because, in theory, its processing speeds far exceed those of classical computers, particularly in solving especially difficult computational problems. Although the technology has not yet crossed the threshold where it demonstrates an overwhelming advantage, many scientists think that day will soon come.

The quantum realm is an exciting and intriguing next frontier in computing, communications and sensing. USC has anticipated this emergence and has been at its forefront for more than a decade with the assembly of a strong group of faculty who advanced academic quantum computing and communications both on campus and at our own Information Sciences Institute, said Yannis C. Yortsos, dean of USC Viterbi.

Today, we are taking another significant step with the partnership with IBM Quantum, Yortsos added. It will further catalyze our pioneering research in leveraging quantum phenomena for technology and in educating the next generation of engineering and science students in the fascinating quantum world.

When it happens, the development of applications with a quantum advantage could affect multiple industries. With quantum computing, scientists expect to achieve potential breakthroughs in drug discovery, energy-efficient electronics and energy storage. Quantum also may be the key to breakthrough advancements in machine learning that could address issues in areas such as sustainability and image processing.

With the proliferation of artificial intelligence and machine learning problems, and the need to assemble training data for those areas, we are going to have to deal with larger and larger datasets, said Mahta Moghaddam, vice dean of research for USC Viterbi and a Distinguished Professor of electrical and computer engineering.

Current computers are going to have limitations as the size and diversity of datasets grow, so eventually we are going to need the quantum solutions to make those AI problems solvable, said Moghaddam, who holds the Ming Hsieh Chair in Electrical and Computer Engineering-Electrophysics.

The IBM agreement is the latest milestone for the university in its quantum journey. The university is already a proven leader in quantum, ranked among the top five programs in quantum information systems, as reported by The Quantum Insider, with particular strength in quantum computing, quantum cryptography and quantum information theory. Its other strength is quantum error correction, an essential aspect in the quest to enable quantum computers to realize their computational advantage despite their susceptibility to errors due to external disturbances.

This agreement reinforces USCs leadership in quantum information science, said Moh El-Naggar, the USC Dornsife divisional dean of the physical sciences and mathematics who helped facilitate the agreement. Our faculty experts were ahead of their time in applying emerging quantum computers to address grand challenges in health and energy. We strategically designed this agreement to now position USC as a hub for future industry partnerships that benefit from our expertise and prioritized access to quantum hardware.

Some scientists believe it is not long perhaps less than 10 years before quantum computers are used to solve some computational problems that are unsolvable for CPUs or GPUs. Last summer, IBM reported a crucial breakthrough in a Nature paper, demonstrating the ability of todays quantum systems to operate at utility scale the point at which quantum computers can serve as scientific tools to explore new classes of problems beyond brute-force, classical simulation of quantum mechanics.

The universality of the IBM quantum systems means that they are designed to support running any calculation just like you can on an ordinary laptop or desktop of course, with added quantum power, Lidar said. For example, last year, a former student (now at IBM) and I reported the first example of an algorithmic quantum speedup: We used IBMs quantum computers to solve a guessing problem faster than is possible using any classical computer.

When quantum computers surpass classic computers in the ability to solve certain complex problems, this may be accompanied not just by revolutionary computational speedups, but also by massive reductions in energy consumption, Lidar said.

Once you cool everything down, the computation expends little energy, and that is very different from the way that ordinary classical computers operate, said Lidar, who envisions a solution soon. Combining this with quantum speedup means that a large-scale quantum computer will eventually consume far less energy than a classical supercomputer.

The IBM agreement provides USC with access to tools to conduct advanced research and train students at the vanguard of computing advancement and research. Access to IBMs quantum systems invigorates the work of 20 or so faculty across USC Dornsife and USC Viterbi, said Stephen Bradforth, USC Dornsife Dean Millers senior advisor for research strategy and development.

The new quantum center at USC also includes opportunities for jobs and innovations, as well as new business opportunities for students who graduate from the university, particularly in STEM.

This resource positions our doctoral students and postdocs in math, physics, chemistry and computational biology at the leading edge in designing algorithms to tackle hard computational problems in each of these disciplines in totally new ways, Bradforth said.

More employers, including government agencies, are seeking graduates with quantum science and technology degrees in both the public and private sectors, and the matter of educating and training the quantum workforce is a concern highlighted in recent federal reports. The White House and National Quantum Initiative in 2022 mapped a path to building a quantum workforce, and the federal government continues to seek input from research and higher education industries to create a pipeline that can meet the rising national need for quantum.

Quantum technology is valued in the billions of dollars and its potential is even greater. A report by McKinsey & Co. last April noted that annual quantum technology startup investments hit $2.35 billion before it issued the report. The company then estimated that the quantum technology sector could reach $106 billion in value by 2040.

With foresight in 2020, USC spearheaded the launch of a masters program in quantum information systems. Two cohorts have graduated and landed jobs at tech giants, including Amazon, Google and, of course, IBM. USC graduate students and postdocs also have landed research positions at national laboratories and faculty positions at Duke University, Cornell University and the University of New Mexico, as well as many other universities worldwide.

Students who graduate from our programs tend to do very well in terms of being placed in either industry or academia, Lidar said.

USC Dornsife and USC Viterbi leaders expect even more interest in quantum coursework and scholarship now that the university is an IBM Quantum Innovation Center. And they are ready for a new wave of students and research.

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IBM agreement boosts USC's quantum computing leadership - University of Southern California

St. Gallen, Switzerland, March 12, 2024 QMware, a leading hybrid quantum computing company that provides cloud services, today announced a new collaboration with NVIDIA and Oracle through which it will use Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) powered by NVIDIA A100 Tensor Core GPU clusters, as well as the NVIDIA CUDA Quantum open-source hybrid quantum computing platform, to test and develop a new state-of-the-art hybrid quantum computing service for enterprise customers. An initial version of the service will be demonstrated at Oracle CloudWorld London in March.

McKinseys latest Quantum Technology Monitor illustrates the rapid adoption and exploration of quantum technology also reflected by QMwares recent collaborations with partners such as NVIDIA. The demonstration of QMwares new service will enable customers to explore new industrial use cases of hybrid quantum computing, which is a combination of classical high-performance and quantum computing that delivers the highest standard of processing power available today.

The accelerated computing capabilities provided by NVIDIA A100 GPUs, coupled with OCI Compute bare-metal instances and RDMA cluster networking, will provide QMware with a diverse array of options for testing and developing commercially-valuable quantum computing applications that can be used in fields such as AI, quantum machine learning, and quantum-enhanced optimization. CUDA Quantum provides scientists with powerful simulation tools and capabilities to program hybrid CPU, GPU, and QPU systems.

Martin Peck, Vice President of Technology Software Engineering at Oracle, said: Hybrid quantum computing has the potential to reshape how businesses operate, gain insights from data, and innovate new products and services. QMware is a front-runner in this exciting field, and we are pleased to bring the power and flexibility of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure to support them in building hybrid quantum services for enterprises.

QMwares CEO and co-founder Markus Pflitsch said: We are entering an era where quantum computing is transitioning from experimental to practical. Our collaboration with Oracle symbolizes a huge step in this journey. By combining QMwares expertise in quantum technology with Oracles robust cloud infrastructure, we are scaling up quantum capabilities and simplifying its accessibility for businesses across all sectors.

QMwares CTO and co-founder George Gesek emphasised: We build an ecosystem where developers, researchers, and business leaders collaborate to explore quantum computings potential in solving real-world problems. The future of quantum computing lies in its integration into the fabric of daily business operations, and through this collaboration, we are helping to make this future a reality.

Tim Costa, Director of Quantum Computing and HPC at NVIDIA, said: High-performance quantum simulation is crucial for researchers to tackle the toughest challenges in quantum computing. Through collaborations with innovators such as Oracle and QMware, NVIDIA helps enable the worlds researchers to achieve breakthroughs toward useful quantum-integrated computing.

About QMware

QMware stands as a leading provider of hybrid quantum computing cloud services, specializing in B2B Quantum as a Service. The companys platform blends high-performance computing with advanced quantum resources, designed to augment todays hyperscaler capabilities. Leveraging sophisticated quantum hypervisor technology, QMware manages data processing tasks, selecting the most appropriate systemclassical or quantumbased on each tasks specific requirements. This strategic approach establishes QMware as a key enabler of early quantum computing solutions in the industry, catering to the growing demand for superior computing performance in optimization, simulation, and machine learning. As a member of the SeQuenC initiative, in 2022 QMware was selected to build the first quantum cloudfor German industry. The project is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection

Source: QMWare

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QMware Announces Collaboration with NVIDIA and Oracle to Advance Hybrid Quantum Computing for Enterprises - HPCwire

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Quantum computers have always been touted as magical devices in science-fiction movies however, their impact may soon become a reality.

ISIs Itay Hen, Research Team Leader at the Hen Lab, is leading a multi-institutional effort funded by the US Department of Defense (specifically DARPA) to figure out how to test the capabilities of quantum computers.

Together with fellow ISI researcher Amir Kalev, USC Dornsife professor Rosa Di Felice and others, Hen is investigating the opportunities presented by quantum technologies.

Quantum computers promise many more things than standard computers, explained Hen. DARPA wanted to know whether to invest in building large-scale quantum computers, and what society could gain from them.

The research team doesnt just identify problems that quantum computers could help with, but they also quantify clear benchmarks for testing and determine the required resources.

We need to ensure we stay on track and develop our efforts where quantum is useful, Kalev added.

Hen gathered multi-disciplinary teams to ensure their contributions were impactful. Subject matter experts devised applicable questions, while quantum computing scientists distilled their computational aspects.

Di Felice is one of these subject matter experts. She noted, I identify theories and resources needed to solve the problems were interested in, and explain why its more suitable for quantum as opposed to classical computing methods.

At times, communication was a challenge.

At first, it felt like we were speaking different languages. We quantum information scientists had to explain our thoughts in more grounded language, and not describe things in terms of abstract, algorithmic values, Hen recalled.

Quantum computers could help discover new materials with esoteric properties, said Hen. They can also solve complicated differential equations, predicting how complex systems, such as the stock market, operate and behave.

One of their proposed questions is whether quantum computers could help find new superconductors.

A superconductor is a high-efficiency material that runs electrical currents without resistance. Normal electrical currents generate a lot of heat and wasted energy, while superconductors can run currents without generating heat.

As superconductors usually work at low temperatures, the researchers wondered if quantum computers can find some that work at room temperatures, which could become a core component of technological advances.

For example, its impossible to run a train on superconducting material because things would have to be very cold, remarked Kalev. With room-temperature superconductors, this would be feasible.

So far, the research teams have discovered intriguing techniques to devise problems that no existing computer can solve. If quantum computers prove to be effective at solving these problems, they might transform society for the better.

We needed to formulate questions that we know the answer to, but are impossible for standard computers to solve, said Hen.

Hen and the others are also planning for a future where quantums impact continues to grow and spread.

Di Felice noted, Our research motivates other scientists to work harder to create quantum chips. Quantum computing could tap into more industries like health and energy production.

Published on March 12th, 2024

Last updated on March 12th, 2024

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What Are The Opportunities Presented by Quantum Computing? - USC Viterbi | School of Engineering - USC Viterbi School of Engineering

Paris, France March 13, 2024 A Franco-Singaporean collaboration has been announced to benchmark and optimize the energy efficiency of quantum computing. The partnership includes Eviden, the Atos Group business leading in advanced computing, A*STARs Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC) in Singapore, and MajuLab, an international research laboratory in quantum physics. Majulab is a joint laboratory of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Universit Cte dAzur (UCA), Sorbonne University (SU), National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

In the context of conventional high-performance computing (HPC) environments, energy optimizations are generally achieved through improved hardware architectures and better cooling systems. However new approaches must be set up to optimize energetic consumption in future quantum computers.

Quantum computing leverages fundamental science to solve complex problems much more efficiently than classical methods: this is known as the quantum computational advantage. While the age of large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computing seems years away, Noisy-Intermediate Scale Quantum (NISQ) devices are already a reality. In such devices, the energy cost to solve a problem on quantum devices could be much less than solving the same problem on a classical HPC system. This offers the possibility that the energy advantage of quantum algorithms may be established before quantum the computational advantage itself.

This research collaboration aims to build a user-friendly framework for accurate benchmarking of energy efficiency in NISQ/near-term quantum computing systems. This framework is based on a novel holistic methodology recently proposed by one of the partners1, to estimate and optimize energy consumption for the full stack of the quantum computer.

The three partners will conduct research on various options to estimate the performance and energy consumption of various algorithms, supported by Evidens quantum emulator Qaptiva 800, which can emulate over 100 qubits depending on the algorithm and emulator used. The collaboration will rely on three main work groups: control parameters and energy benchmarking metric; implementation of resource monitoring within Evidens quantum emulation environment; and application-based benchmarking (VQE).

Dr. Cdric Bourrasset, Global Head of HPC-AI and Quantum Computing, Eviden, Atos Group, said While the power for computing keeps increasing, our commitment to decarbonization and sustainability hasnt diminished. For decades, Eviden has been committed to greener technologies, leading the HPC market with its patented Direct Liquid Cooling. The Group is as equally committed to promoting a greener quantum computing, which we know will be at the heart of computing technologies in the coming years.

Dr. Su Yi, Executive Director, A*STARs IHPC, said Sustainable computing is closely tied to the potential of quantum computing where near-term quantum algorithms offer energy-efficiency and problem-solving potential that could drive quantum technology adoption. A*STARs Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC) is working together with our research partners to advance this intersection of sustainability and quantum technologies.

Alexia Auffves, CNRS Research Director, = Director of the MajuLab, and Co-founder of the Quantum Energy Initiative, said The collaboration is aligned with the objectives of the recently launched Quantum Energy Initiative, which aims to keep in check the energy footprint of quantum technologies already at their early stage. It will contribute to set up solid, objectives and figures of merit to really assess if quantum energy advantages can be reached. This kind of work is essential to mitigate the risk of green quantum hype. It directly relates to the new QEI working group P3329 at IEEE, which is currently developing a standard of energy efficiency.

***

About Eviden2

Eviden is a next-gen technology leader in data-driven, trusted and sustainable digital transformation with a strong portfolio of patented technologies. With worldwide leading positions in advanced computing, security, AI, cloud and digital platforms, it provides deep expertise for all industries in more than 47 countries. Bringing together 47,000 world-class talents, Eviden expands the possibilities of data and technology across the digital continuum, now and for generations to come. Eviden is an Atos Group company with an annual revenue of c. 5 billion.

About Atos

Atos is a global leader in digital transformation with c. 95,000 employees and annual revenue of c. 11 billion. European number one in cybersecurity, cloud and high-performance computing, the Group provides tailored end-to-end solutions for all industries in 69 countries. A pioneer in decarbonization services and products, Atos is committed to a secure and decarbonized digital for its clients. Atos is a SE (Societas Europaea), and listed on Euronext Paris.

The purpose of Atos is to help design the future of the information space. Its expertise and services support the development of knowledge, education and research in a multicultural approach and contribute to the development of scientific and technological excellence. Across the world, the Group enables its customers and employees, and members of societies at large to live, work and develop sustainably, in a safe and secure information space.

About MajuLab

MajuLab is an international research laboratory that includes French partners the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Sorbonne University (SU), the Universit Cte d'Azur (UCA), and in Singapore, the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) as its signatory institutions. MajuLab leverages 15 years of successful collaboration between France and Singapore in quantum sciences and technologies, operating as a quantum channel connecting these two vibrant ecosystems. Based at the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences (NTU) and atq the Center for Quantum Technologies (NUS), MajuLab is structured as an interdisciplinary quantum centre: a compound of basic research and technology developing synergies with computer scientists and quantum physicists, theorists and experimentalists, academia and industry. https://majulab.cnrs.fr/

Press contact

Judith Sautereau - judith.sautereau@eviden.com - +33 6 79 15 17 87

Zohra Dali zohra.dali.external@eviden.com

1 Fellous-Asiani, Hao Chai, Thonnart, Ng, Whitney, Auffves, Optimizing the energetic efficiency of scalable fault-tolerant quantum computers, to appear in PRX Quantum

2 Eviden business is operated through the following brands: AppCentrica, ATHEA, Cloudamize, Cloudreach, Cryptovision, DataSentics, Edifixio, Energy4U, Engage ESM, Evidian, Forensik, IDEAL GRP, In Fidem, Ipsotek, Maven Wave, Profit4SF, SEC Consult, Visual BI, Worldgrid, X-Perion. Eviden is a registered trademark.

Eviden is a registered trademark. Eviden SAS, 2024.

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Eviden explores energy advantages in near-term quantum computing systems through research partnerships - GlobeNewswire

The quantum computing industry is experiencing significant growth, with advancements in both hardware and software making it a key consideration for organizations looking to invest in cutting-edge technology. To this end, we look at some of the top quantum computing stocks to buy as businesses utilize this next-gen technology across various industries.

Major tech players are increasingly interested in making significant investments in quantum computing to align with the rapid pace of technological advancements amid customers current demands, which are seeking innovative computational solutions.

Drawing on data from the quantum market and insights from industry thought leaders gathered in the fourth quarter of 2023, the recent State of Quantum 2024 report noted the transition from theoretical exploration to practical application, highlighted by the emergence of full-stack quantum computer deliveries in national labs and quantum centers.

In 2022, venture investments in quantum technology soared to over $2 billion amid strong investor confidence in this burgeoning field. However, by 2023, these investments saw a sharp 50% drop, sparking debates about a potential quantum winter.

Industry experts argue the decline reflects broader venture capital trends and not a loss of faith in the quantum sectors prospects. Government funding has increasingly filled the gap private investors left, mitigating concerns over the investment slowdown.

The bottom line is the quantum industry is still advancing, albeit at a moderate pace. This emphasizes the need for realistic expectations and a sustained commitment to research and development. Despite the recent dip in investment, the sectors insiders remain cautiously optimistic about its future. This suggests the industry is far from stagnating.

Lets take a closer look at leading quantum computing stocks to buy.

Intel (NASDAQ:INTC), the semiconductor giant, is actively pursuing a turnaround strategy to regain its leadership in the technology industry. The plan involves a significant restructuring of its operations, investment in advanced chip manufacturing technologies and a renewed focus on innovation.

Among other things, Intel is pushing hard to develop its quantum computing products. The chipmaker introduced Tunnel Falls, a quantum computing chip leveraging the companys cutting-edge manufacturing techniques.

The company has collaborated with various government and academic research entities to facilitate the testing of Tunnel Falls. According to Intel, the new chip has a 95% yield rate across the wafer and voltage uniformity.

Quantum computing isnt the core focus of Intels strategy to reclaim its semiconductor industry leadership. However, the initiative represents a potential growth area. Success in quantum computing research could position Intel as a key player in this innovative technology domain in the future. This could make Intel one of the top quantum computing stocks to buy.

Similarly to Intel, Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL, NASDAQ:GOOG) is making significant strides in quantum computing through its subsidiary, Quantum AI. Focusing on developing quantum processors and algorithms, Googles parent company aims to harness quantum technology for breakthroughs in computing power.

Alphabet recently exceeded Q4 earnings expectations with a net income of $20.69 billion and a 13% revenue increase to $86.3 billion. Its advertising revenue of $65.52 billion slightly missed analyst projections.

While fighting Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) on the AI front, Google has also ventured into the quantum computing realm with its proprietary quantum computing chips, Sycamore. In a strategic move, Google spun off its quantum computing software division into a standalone startup, SandboxAQ, in March 2022.

Its dominant position in search drives Googles foray into quantum computing. It aims to develop more efficient, faster and intelligent solutions. The company plays a crucial role in managing vast volumes of digital information. It can gain immensely by enabling various organizations to harness the transformative power of quantum computing and AI.

FormFactor (NASDAQ:FORM), a leading provider in the semiconductor industry, specializes in the design, development and manufacture of advanced wafer probe cards. These probe cards are essential for the electrical testing of semiconductor wafers before cutting them into individual chips.

FormFactor is strategically positioned within the quantum computing ecosystem through its semiconductor test and measurement solutions expertise. The company provides advanced systems essential for developing and testing quantum computing chips. These systems are designed to operate at extremely low temperatures, a fundamental requirement for quantum computing experiments where qubits must be maintained in a coherent state.

Its flagship products include precision engineering solutions like the Advanced Matrix series for high-density applications and the TouchMatrix series for touchscreen panels. FormFactors products enable semiconductor manufacturers to perform reliable and accurate testing at various stages of the production process. This ensures the functionality and quality of the final semiconductor products.

Last month, FormFactor reported a modest top-line year-over-year increase of 1.3%, reaching $168.2 million. Looking ahead, expectations for the first quarter are aligned with the recent quarterly performance, with projected revenue of around $165 million.

On the date of publication, Shane Neagle did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.comPublishing Guidelines.

Shane Neagle is fascinated by the ways in which technology is poised to disrupt investing. He specializes in fundamental analysis and growth investing.

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3 Quantum Computing Stocks to Buy for Real-World Breakthrough - InvestorPlace