FST JOURNAL

Summary:

• The scientific method remains our best framework for discovery, even in complex scenarios
• The real world is based on quantum principles. We need to utilise the same tools and techniques to explore it and facilitate progress
• The goal of the Hartree National Centre for Digital Innovation is to create a platform for UK public and private sector researchers to adopt new technologies to make major improvements to their industrial competitiveness.

I want to discuss the importance of industrial adoption of novel and disruptive technologies as both a standalone field and as an enabling one for the UK. I'll outline some of the problems and challenges we face. Finally, I will present the Hartree Centre as an opportunity to explore how we can assist UK industries with real-world challenges.

The critical question we need to consider is how science and technology can help us. Most discussions on growth focus on the economy, often highlighting growth rates of just a fraction of a percent or so. Our challenge has been to explore how we can achieve significant improvements - essentially, how we can reduce cost and time scales by a order of magnitude at least. To do this we need substantial step changes in various areas. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted us to urgently address pressing problems, and while we navigated that crisis, we continued facing ongoing challenges, particularly concerning climate change.

In the face of these challenges, I firmly believe that the scientific method remains our best framework for discovery, even in complex scenarios. Historically, we have seen improvements in life expectancy, GDP per capita, and population growth, even as we tackled significant challenges like the Spanish flu and other crises.

In discussing these trends, I want to highlight the evolution of the scientific method to incorporate all of the tools we have available as technologists.  I anticipate backlash, especially from traditional big data technologists. My view is that we are at a critical juncture. We can no longer rely solely on big data approaches; processing more and more data with diminishing returns, is clearly unsustainable. Instead, we must adopt a more intelligent approach and be selective in our processing through “accelerated discovery." Essentially, it involves making progress through a cycle of hypothesis, testing, reporting, and feedback using AI and Quantum processing to guide which processing we do.  The challenge we have set for ourselves, which also underpins our work at Hartree, revolves around the question: What happens if…?

Using technology to our advantage

We must use utilise all available technology to address the speed up of the scientific method. For example, it is important to recognise that, as researchers, it is not possible to keep up with every single publication in a field of knowledge unaided. The volume of data is simply overwhelming for individuals to process effectively. Therefore, can we employ AI-powered deep search techniques to delve into the data, understand the context, discern the relevance of information, and ensure that we avoid repeating past mistakes and answer our research questions more quickly?  

We at IBM are actively working to develop these capabilities, supported by significant advancements in the hardware and processing we develop and use. Quantum computing technology, in particular, is gaining momentum and presents exciting opportunities. If we think about it, the real world problems we face are often based on quantum principles and we need to utilise the same tools and techniques to explore it and facilitate progress. This does not mean that traditional high-performance computers (HPC) will become obsolete; they remain a vital part of the approach. Instead, we are exploring different dimensions to address additional use cases through specialised AI and Quantum processing.  

The challenge

You might wonder why this approach is challenging. One part of the answer lies in the work of Geoffrey Moore  (e.g. ‘Crossing the Chasm). He pointed out that the model outlined in traditional marketing and tech textbooks which shows that technology adoption follows a ‘bell curve’ for its progress breaks down with high technology items.

There is often a significant gap between innovators and businesses that he christened the ‘Chasm’. Technologists understand the technology, while business professionals understand the market, but they often fail to communicate effectively. This disconnect leads to missed opportunities and faltering adoption.

One of our key goals at Hartree National Centre for Digital Innovation is to bridge this gap. We assemble multidisciplinary teams that can tackle these challenges in a manner that allows both sides to recognise the benefits and close the ‘Chasm’. Business professionals need to grasp how technology can enhance their operations, while technologists must understand what makes their innovations appealing to businesses. Creating teams that can communicate with each other across these divides is essential. This mission of accelerating the adoption of new technologies is what attracted IBM to collaborate in this space in the UK.

Hartree National Centre for Digital Innovation (HNCDI)

The HNCDI project is particularly impressive, with no equivalent existing globally. I feel privileged to share our work with my colleagues in the countries where we have IBM research labs, encouraging them to see what we are accomplishing in the UK and how it can inspire their efforts. The premise of the HNCDI initiative is based on collaboration between IBM and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) (which manages the UK involvement in projects like the Large Hadron Collider at CERN and the Diamond Light Source). We need this collaboration to create a symbiotic partnership that benefits both public and private sector researchers. This program has been immensely rewarding. The decision-making process is collaborative, with STFC and IBM jointly sitting on a management board that selects projects based on their potential impact on UK industry. The teams consist of participants from industrial, academic, and public sectors, creating a truly joint initiative. We aim to unite the best of all research worlds to provide a robust platform for UK industry to take advantage of.

Our approach is centred around a series of programmes. One programme (Explain) is designed to deliver high-quality training and education for both technologists and managers at no cost to the attendees.

The Explore Programme allows Industrial partners in the UK to approach us with industrial challenges they face. We break down these challenges into a proof of concept, which includes both technical aspects and a business template to help partners understand how to implement the results of our work in their business for the UK’s competitive advantage. Participation in the  Explore program is offered at no cost to partners (they must however cover their own costs and usually provide data to the project). Our goal is to remove entry barriers for partner companies wanting to engage with AI technologies.

Partners are also supported in the Excelerate programme to exploit the results of the Explore programme and to embed it into their enterprise. This support can come in a number of different forms that span from simple consultancy support to full scale implementation activities (under different costing models).

Finally, our Emerging Technology programme focuses on future-proofing solutions, ensuring they remain relevant as technology evolves. This is particularly relevant to our work in Quantum computing technology.