Transforming Structural Design and Make with Quantum Computing and AI
Quantum processing can super-charge AI to solve our most complex problems, like climate change
Arup has long been a leader in using new technologies to drive better designs. As early as 1968, for example, they were using room-sized computing systems to design the distinctive Sydney Opera Hall. Today, they’re using AI-based tools to solve for complex problems like wind analysis. But even with the fastest processors available today, there are challenges that AI can’t solve. Quantum computing, which uses quantum mechanical phenomena to process data, holds new possibilities according to Rob Greig, Arup’s Global Chief Information Officer. The technology is still in the research phase, but Arup’s teams are already using quantum computing simulators to model complex physical phenomena like bridge deflection under passing loads. “The interesting thing about quantum computers is that they can handle more variables than a normal computer,” Greig says. “They approach the problem in a different way, and we can be much more sophisticated about how we answer the questions and challenges that we face in the future.”
About the speaker
Rob Greig is Global Chief Information Officer at Arup and the leader of Arup’s strategic digital technology ambitions globally. He joined the firm in 2017 bringing over 20 years of experience with technology and digital leadership, digital content development, cloud capabilities, and security. Much of Greig’s work focuses on enabling the firm’s digital transformation, including leading the development of its cloud strategy. He has also led the establishment of the firm’s cyber advisory services.
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