Hybrid classical-quantum computing: are we forgetting the classical part in the binomial?

TL;DR

This paper explores the integration of classical and quantum computing, emphasizing the importance of classical procedures in hybrid systems and proposing a taxonomy to classify hybrid quantum schemes.

Contribution

It introduces a preliminary taxonomy for hybrid quantum-classical schemes and highlights key challenges and questions for future research in the field.

Findings

Hybrid approaches are essential for practical quantum computing.

Classical procedures remain crucial in hybrid quantum systems.

The paper raises important questions about the challenges of hybrid quantum applications.

Abstract

The expectations arising from the latest achievements in the quantum computing field are causing that researchers coming from classical artificial intelligence to be fascinated by this new paradigm. In turn, quantum computing, on the road towards usability, needs classical procedures. Hybridization is, in these circumstances, an indispensable step but can also be seen as a promising new avenue to get the most from both computational worlds. Nonetheless, hybrid approaches have now and will have in the future many challenges to face, which, if ignored, will threaten the viability or attractiveness of quantum computing for real-world applications. To identify them and pose pertinent questions, a proper characterization of the hybrid quantum computing field, and especially hybrid solvers, is compulsory. With this motivation in mind, the main purpose of this work is to propose a preliminary taxonomy for classifying hybrid schemes, and bring to the fore some questions to stir up researchers minds about the real challenges regarding the application of quantum computing.