Thinking Too Classically: Toward a Research Agenda for Human-Quantum Computer Interaction

Quantum computing is a fundamentally different way of performing computation than classical computing. Many problems that are considered hard for classical computers may have efficient solutions using quantum computers. Recently, technology companies including IBM, Microsoft, and Google have invested in developing both quantum computing hardware and software to explore the potential of quantum computing. Because of the radical shift in computing paradigms that quantum represents, we see an opportunity to study the unique needs people have when interacting with quantum systems, what we call Quantum HCI (QHCI). Based on interviews with experts in quantum computing, we identify four areas in which HCI researchers can contribute to the field of quantum computing. These areas include understanding current and future quantum users, tools for programming and debugging quantum algorithms, visualizations of quantum states, and educational materials to train the first generation of "quantum native" programmers.