Towards Quantum Integrated Information Theory

TL;DR

This paper advances the theoretical framework of Integrated Information Theory by extending it to quantum systems, exploring different phases of network integration, and analyzing their transitions.

Contribution

It introduces a quantum version of IIT, enabling analysis of integrated information in quantum networks, which was not previously possible.

Findings

Identification of dis-integrated and holistic phases in quantum networks

Analysis of phase cross-overs in quantum integrated information

Establishment of a foundation for quantum IIT applications

Abstract

Integrated Information Theory (IIT) has emerged as one of the leading research lines in computational neuroscience to provide a mechanistic and mathematically well-defined description of the neural correlates of consciousness. Integrated Information ($\Phi$) quantifies how much the integrated cause/effect structure of the global neural network fails to be accounted for by any partitioned version of it. The holistic IIT approach is in principle applicable to any information-processing dynamical network regardless of its interpretation in the context of consciousness. In this paper we take the first steps towards a formulation of a general and consistent version of IIT for interacting networks of quantum systems. A variety of different phases, from the dis-integrated ($\Phi=0$) to the holistic one (extensive $\log\Phi$), can be identified and their cross-overs studied.