An Explorative Cross Sectional Comprehensive Survey on Quantum Computing

Quantum computers have been called the Ultimate Computer a decisive leap in technology with profound implications for the entire world. Quantum computers might usher in an entirely new age for the economy, society, and our way of life. It is an emerging field that leverages the principles of quantum mechanics to perform computations that are infeasible for classical computers. As quantum systems advance beyond early prototypes, it is critical to assess their capabilities compared to classical computers and artificial intelligence. This survey aims to provide a comprehensive, cross-sectional analysis of the current state of quantum computing, exploring its advantages over traditional computing paradigms and its potential societal impacts. It also goes through the various algorithms used in this paradigm and how they can aid in our needs. We conducted an extensive literature review of peer-reviewed articles and industry reports to gather data on quantum computing advancements, applications, and challenges. The survey examines quantum hardware platforms, algorithms, use cases across industries, and comparisons to classical and AI systems. Our findings indicate that quantum computers excel at specific tasks like optimization and simulation, offering exponential speedups over classical methods for certain problems. While not universally superior to AI or traditional computers, quantum systems enable new approaches to longstanding challenges in fields such as materials science, finance, and machine learning. However, significant technical hurdles remain before realizing large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers. Quantum computing represents a paradigm shift in computational power, with far-reaching implications across science, industry, and society. While challenges persist, continued advances in quantum technologies promise to unlock new realms of problem-solving capability beyond the reach of classical computers and AI systems. Strategic investment and interdisciplinary collaboration will be crucial to fully harness quantum computing’s transformative potential.