An in-principle super-polynomial quantum advantage for approximating combinatorial optimization problems via computational learning theory

Fuente: arXiv
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Autores principales: Pirnay, Niklas, Ulitzsch, Vincent, Wilde, Frederik, Eisert, Jens, Seifert, Jean-Pierre
Formato: Preprint
Publicado: 2022
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author Pirnay, Niklas
Ulitzsch, Vincent
Wilde, Frederik
Eisert, Jens
Seifert, Jean-Pierre
author_facet Pirnay, Niklas
Ulitzsch, Vincent
Wilde, Frederik
Eisert, Jens
Seifert, Jean-Pierre
contents Combinatorial optimization - a field of research addressing problems that feature strongly in a wealth of scientific and industrial contexts - has been identified as one of the core potential fields of applicability of quantum computers. It is still unclear, however, to what extent quantum algorithms can actually outperform classical algorithms for this type of problems. In this work, by resorting to computational learning theory and cryptographic notions, we prove that quantum computers feature an in-principle super-polynomial advantage over classical computers in approximating solutions to combinatorial optimization problems. Specifically, building on seminal work by Kearns and Valiant and introducing a new reduction, we identify special types of problems that are hard for classical computers to approximate up to polynomial factors. At the same time, we give a quantum algorithm that can efficiently approximate the optimal solution within a polynomial factor. The core of the quantum advantage discovered in this work is ultimately borrowed from Shor's quantum algorithm for factoring. Concretely, we prove a super-polynomial advantage for approximating special instances of the so-called integer programming problem. In doing so, we provide an explicit end-to-end construction for advantage bearing instances. This result shows that quantum devices have, in principle, the power to approximate combinatorial optimization solutions beyond the reach of classical efficient algorithms. Our results also give clear guidance on how to construct such advantage-bearing problem instances.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2212_08678
institution arXiv
publishDate 2022
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle An in-principle super-polynomial quantum advantage for approximating combinatorial optimization problems via computational learning theory
Pirnay, Niklas
Ulitzsch, Vincent
Wilde, Frederik
Eisert, Jens
Seifert, Jean-Pierre
Quantum Physics
Other Condensed Matter
Computational Complexity
Combinatorial optimization - a field of research addressing problems that feature strongly in a wealth of scientific and industrial contexts - has been identified as one of the core potential fields of applicability of quantum computers. It is still unclear, however, to what extent quantum algorithms can actually outperform classical algorithms for this type of problems. In this work, by resorting to computational learning theory and cryptographic notions, we prove that quantum computers feature an in-principle super-polynomial advantage over classical computers in approximating solutions to combinatorial optimization problems. Specifically, building on seminal work by Kearns and Valiant and introducing a new reduction, we identify special types of problems that are hard for classical computers to approximate up to polynomial factors. At the same time, we give a quantum algorithm that can efficiently approximate the optimal solution within a polynomial factor. The core of the quantum advantage discovered in this work is ultimately borrowed from Shor's quantum algorithm for factoring. Concretely, we prove a super-polynomial advantage for approximating special instances of the so-called integer programming problem. In doing so, we provide an explicit end-to-end construction for advantage bearing instances. This result shows that quantum devices have, in principle, the power to approximate combinatorial optimization solutions beyond the reach of classical efficient algorithms. Our results also give clear guidance on how to construct such advantage-bearing problem instances.
title An in-principle super-polynomial quantum advantage for approximating combinatorial optimization problems via computational learning theory
topic Quantum Physics
Other Condensed Matter
Computational Complexity
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2212.08678