These machines function in an entirely different way. In the place of bits in a classical computer, the basic unit of information in quantum computing is what’s known as a quantum bit, or qubit.

Computing today is almost entirely digital. The vast informational catacombs of the internet, the algorithms that power AI, the screen you’re reading this on — all are powered by electronic circuits ...

AI allows computers to process large amounts of data, identify patterns and follow detailed instructions about what to do with that information. Computers cannot think, empathise or reason.