The two are considered innovators in their field, which combines physics and computer science in treating quantum mechanical phenomena as tools for processing and transmitting information.
This year’s Turing Award went to an American physicist and a Canadian computer scientist for their groundbreaking collaborative work in the field of quantum information science.
Charles H Bennett and Gilles Brassard received the annual award of the ACM (Association for Computing Machinery) “for their important contribution to establishing the scientific foundations of quantum information and revolutionizing secure communication and computing”, said the body.
The pair’s pioneering work in quantum cryptography and quantum teleportation is recognized for redefining secure computer communication, according to ACM.
The award, often referred to as the ‘Nobel Prize in Computing’, is named after Alan Turing, who developed the mathematical foundations of computing. The winner receives a $1m prize in recognition of their major contributions to lasting value in computing.
Bennett and Brassard are considered innovators in their field, which combines physics and computer science in the treatment of quantum mechanical phenomena as tools for processing and transmitting information.
In 1984, the pair introduced the first working protocol for quantum cryptography, now known as BB84, by showing that two parties could establish a private encryption key with security guaranteed by the laws of physics.
This established a fundamental property of quantum information: it cannot be copied or measured without interference, and any attempt to ‘eavesdrop’ leaves visible traces before any information is compromised.
Prior to this breakthrough, the consensus regarding secure communications held that mathematical and computer encryption barriers were the basis for information encryption.
“Bennett and Brassard fundamentally changed our understanding of knowledge itself,” said ACM president Yannis Ioannidis. “Their insights expanded the boundaries of computing and started decades of discovery in all fields. The global momentum behind quantum technology today underscores the enduring value of their contributions.”
Variations of BB84 are already used in quantum communication networks around the world, using both fiber optic cables and free-space communication via satellites, according to ACM, which also noted that progress in this field could represent one way to achieve secure digital communication in the coming decades.
“Charles Bennett and Gilles Brassard’s ideas laid the groundwork for a very exciting frontier in science and technology,” said Jeff Dean, chief scientist at Google DeepMind and Google Research. “Their work continues to influence both basic research and real-world innovation.” Google provides financial support for the annual award.
Other work of note by Bennett and Brassard includes contributions to quantum teleportation and entanglement, which are important for quantum networking applications.
In Europe, Pasqal of France and IQM of Finland are important players in the field of quantum computing.
In Ireland, interest in the field of quantum computing includes both private and public levels.
Last year, Andrew Barto and Richard Sutton won the Turing Prize for developing the foundations of reinforcement learning, which is the key to AI. Previous winners include theoretical computer scientist Avi Wigderson, AI leader Geoffrey Hinton and Lisp programmer John McCarthy.
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