Cutting through the noise with Christopher Bishop

In the ever-evolving quantum ecosystem, it's crucial to promote unique perspectives that can navigate through the noise. One such individual is Christopher Bishop, the host of the Quantum Tech Pod, an entertaining series in which he interviews senior executives at leading quantum companies. With a diverse background and wide-ranging involvement in the quantum space for over three years, Christopher brings a wealth of knowledge and insights to the table. In this interview, we delve into his current role, professional achievements, thoughts on quantum advantage, cybersecurity, generative AI, and the future of quantum breakthroughs.

A multi-faceted career journey

When asked about his biggest professional achievement, Christopher reflects on his atypical career path. He shares, "Touring as the bass player for McKendree Spring in the 1970s was a significant milestone for me." However, he also mentions his tenure at IBM - he spent 15 years in a variety of roles there. His other nonlinear careers include writing jingles for TV commercials and playing with Robert Palmer, the English pop singer. One notable achievement was his Practitioner Residency he was awarded by the Rockefeller Foundation in 2011. During his month-long stay in a 15th century Lombard villa on the shores of Lake Como, Christopher developed a framework for a book titled "How to succeed at jobs that don't exist yet," drawing from his own nonlinear multimodal career path. Now active in a sector that is truly redefining the art of the possible - and what kinds of new careers are bing created - such a title is sure to resonate.

Cutting through the noise

With the quantum ecosystem growing exponentially, standing out can be a challenge. Christopher's experience at IBM, working with both Deep Blue and IBM Watson, combined with his active involvement in the quantum space for over three years, provides him with a distinct perspective on "the ways bleeding-edge technologies drive innovative business models." With revolutionary change coming down the tracks in industries as diverse as pharmaceuticals, finance, and metrology, there is no shortage of hype-driven punditry, but it is Christopher's considered perspective that allows him to cut through the noise and offer valuable insights to the quantum community. He has developed the ability to connect business use cases and innovative technology in a unique and understandable way.

Developing a Quantum Workforce

Christopher is hard at work on enlarging the quantum workforce community, too, leading the US-based Quantum Economic Development Consortium's (QED-C) Office Hours initiative for the past year and a half. This program aims to "help develop a robust quantum workforce" by connecting students studying quantum and adjacent fields with mentors working in the private sector and at national labs. Recognising the need for diverse skills in quantum companies, Christopher emphasises the importance of finding individuals with experience in business development, UX design, marketing and communications, as well as those with policy and regulatory expertise. As he states, "The needs at quantum companies include finding talented people from a range of backgrounds – not just science-related." Indeed, the quantum workforce ecosystem cuts a broad swath and it will take the combined efforts of talented people with varied skillsets to pull off the wholesale transformation its leaders are aspiring to achieve.

Reaching Quantum Advantage

On the subject of one lofty goal in particular, Christopher is less willing to be definitive. When asked about the probable number of qubits needed to achieve quantum advantage, Christopher challenges the question. He states, "I think this is not exactly the right [one] to be asking," going on to stress the importance of considering factors beyond qubit count, such as error correction, fault tolerance, and improved coherence times. "There may even be a qubit modality hiding out there that we have not yet discovered that will flip the entire conversation on its head." Much like our line of questioning!

Y2Q on the horizon

While the conditions for achieving quantum advantage are a hotly debated topic within the ecosystem, another topic is making waves beyond its boundaries, too. The threat of Y2Q, or "the day when quantum computers can crack today’s RSA and ECC encryption protocols," looms large for many industry-watchers. And it is a threat that Bishop believes governments should try to neutralise now: "They all need to put plans in place to mitigate [it]." He goes on to argue that this issue is gradually appearing on the agenda of every organization and has resulted in a change of perspective on quantum within the enterprise setting. The intersection of quantum and cybersecurity "moves quantum conversations up the value chain - from being an IT conversation with an ill-defined value proposition to a risk management issue that needs to be at the top of every company’s strategy development." Amidst the anxiety around what the future holds in this domain, the unlikely but beneficial upshot, for Bishop, is that this is driving the adoption of quantum technologies and demonstrating their real-world value to would-be investors. This looming cloud has at least a hint of a silver lining, it seems.

The impact of generative AI

On to another hotly debated topic, one that has been winning an enviable amount of column inches across tech media and beyond. Bishop predicts that generative AI will have a transformative impact on quantum, believing that it will be used to write algorithms for quantum computers and thus revolutionise how code is developed, tested, and deployed. He even holds out the tantalising prospect that "it may accelerate attainment of one of the Holy Grails of quantum, the quantum operating system – code running at a level of abstraction above the core algorithms." That will surely be a feat worth reporting on - worthier, even, than the ability to create realistic imagery of religious leaders in designer jackets.

Driving breakthroughs

When it comes to backing breakthroughs in quantum tech, Bishop feels the responsibility does not solely sit in a single entity but requires the collaboration of the private sector, academia and governments. Of course, the case that quantum tech is becoming strategically critical to national development and security is irrefutable, yet it should not fall on public sector players to plug the funding gap alone. Christopher foresees many players having a financial role to play: "I think it is going to continue to be a mix," with "companies with big R&D budgets like IBM and Google," governments "allocating funds to support quantum organisations," and investors "contributing working capital" to drive progress in the technology. This diverse array of players will surely help build a more vibrant ecosystem, a vibrancy which is essential to delivering the breakthroughs on which so many hopes rest.

Taking inspiration from the forefront of quantum

If the big picture view is crowded with national authorities, global tech behemoths, and flows of international capital, who are the individuals driving change? For inspiration, Bishop looks no further than Quantiuum's Ilyas Khan and Tony Uttley, admiring their position amidst the tech firepower and client relationships of Honeywell and their adoption of an innovative software approach from Cambridge Quantum. Christopher singles out their focus on "niche vertical-specific solutions," which he believes will be "key to creating quantum solutions that generate revenue and actually solve real-world problems in new, faster and more efficient ways."

Recruiting the next generation of trailblazers

Inspiration is in abundance at the forefront of quantum, but where does Bishop source the next generation of trailblazers? Excitement and enthusiasm seem to be his guiding signals: "We look for people who are excited to join the 'quantum journey' – who are aware of the tremendous potential of quantum information science to transform how we live and work." But Christopher is keen to stress that his search is not limited to the confines of the university, important though they are. "Tracking down a marketing person at a general advertising agency who has been working on a technology account could be a perfect fit. Finding someone at a think tank passionate about policy and regulatory issues tied to tech. Identifying a technology writer who wants to move into a new area." The key, in this rapidly evolving field, is to "think more broadly about sourcing talent." And looking to engage younger candidates to get them excited about the tremendous potential of this amazing technology. Even the most deeply experienced quantum specialist will tell you that passion is critical, and Bishop is right to apply the same yardstick to non-scientific roles. It will take the efforts of many from diverse backgrounds to ensure the quantum industry thrives.

Looking Forward to Quantum.Tech Europe 2023

Christopher's enthusiasm shines through as he looks forward to the European event at Twickenham Stadium in September. "I am excited to meet CEOs of start-ups – especially ones in the early stages of building a company - regardless of their age!" He's also on the lookout for VCs "to get their take on where viable business models are emerging and where smart money is going in the quantum space." It is fair to say that Bishop won't be disappointed come September, when the ecosystem gathers in London. We'll keep listening in to the Quantum Tech Pod of course, for his take on the event and his incisive discussions on all things quantum.

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