GCRI · Quantum Technologies

Statistics for quantum technology

Probability and statistics underpin quantum measurement, benchmarking and claims. In this field they estimate error rates and fidelities with uncertainty, test whether claimed advantages are statistically supported, and analyse workforce, patent and investment data without overstating trends.

02Application

What probability and statistics does here.

Probability and statistics provide the mathematical framework for describing uncertainty and learning from data. They underpin estimation, testing and prediction in every risk discipline. In quantum and cyber and digital resilience, statistical methods quantify the likelihood and uncertainty of losses across interconnected systems. They make the evidence behind risk decisions explicit and reproducible. The canonical description is on the STEM Commons.

Fidelity estimation

Gate and state fidelities are estimated from randomised benchmarking and tomography with confidence intervals and model assumptions stated.

Testing advantage claims

Sampling-based advantage claims are evaluated with statistical tests of output distributions against noise and classical simulation.

Analysing patent and investment data

Patent families and investment records are deduplicated and classified consistently by technology before any trend is described.

03Monitor

Tail fit.

The screen a team would use to follow this method: its measures, states and decisions. Names are examples and values are illustrative.

Tail fit

Quantum technologies · Statistics for quantum technology · Run R-1315

Shape parameter uncertainGCRI · Quantum Technologies

Return level curve

Method card

Method
Probability and statistics
Approach
peaks over threshold
Threshold
93th percentile
Label
MODELLED

Parameters

generalised Pareto fit

Shape ξ0.17−0.060.52heavy tail if above zero
Scale σ1.71.05.4units of the variable
Exceedances70declustered
Tail fit: the screen’s structure, terms and states for Quantum technologies.Example names and illustrative values; a design, not a record or a live system.
04Data

What the method consumes.

Datasets and records used by probability and statistics on this platform, with the role each plays and the label its values carry. Sources are listed in the source register.

DataRoleLabel
Benchmarking dataFidelity estimationOBSERVED
Experimental output samplesAdvantage testsOBSERVED
Patent and investment recordsIndustry trendsREPORTED
05Methods and evidence

How statistics for quantum technology is modelled, measured and tested.

The model, its assumptions, its data and its uncertainty, in the form a scientist or engineer would check. Structures follow published methods. The values drawn are illustrative, not findings.

Model, equations and assumptions

The model structure used for statistics for quantum technology, the assumptions it makes and how each is tested.

Risk of element iRi = f(Hi, Ei, Vi, Ci)hazard, exposure, vulnerability and coping capacity
Expected annual lossEAL = ∑k pk · Lkover events k with annual probability pk
Coupled systemsxt+1 = A xt + B ut + εtA carries the couplings, u the shock, ε the error
AssumptionWhy it is madeHow it is tested
Hazard and exposure are independent within an eventKeeps the loss integral tractableCompare with a copula fit on joint records
Couplings are linear near the operating pointLets shocks propagate through APerturb beyond the linear range and compare
Vulnerability curves transfer between placesLocal curves are rarely availableValidate against observed losses where they exist
Inputs
versioned datasets with provenance
Outputs
distributions, never single numbers
Code
released with the model card and tests
Reproduction
same data, code, environment and seed
Standard risk and state-space formulations; the assumptions listed are typical of the method, stated for review, not results.
FAIR guiding principles · GO FAIR and FORCE11W3C PROV · World Wide Web ConsortiumGuidance on consistent treatment of uncertainties · IPCCCEOS Analysis Ready Data · Committee on Earth Observation Satellites
06Validation

How results are checked.

Results are checked through diagnostics, cross-validation and sensitivity to assumptions. Independent replication confirms findings.

CheckHow it is done
Model assumptionsBenchmarking models’ assumptions are stated and tested
Confidence intervalsEvery estimate carries an interval
DeduplicationPatent and investment data are deduplicated before counting

Inference depends on assumptions about independence, distribution and sampling that may not hold. Small or biased samples limit reliability.

07Process

How the process runs.

Process

Statistics for quantum technology: Catastrophe model pipeline

Catastrophe models usually have hazard, vulnerability, exposure and financial modules, and produce loss tables, average annual loss, exceedance curves, PML and TVaR.

  1. 01 Hazard

    1. 01Event catalogueDataset · Model developerThe hazard module holds a large catalogue of simulated events that represents a wide range of plausible scenarios.
    2. 03Hazard moduleModel · Model developerFor each event the hazard module gives the local hazard intensity that the vulnerability module reads.
  2. 02 Exposure and damage

    1. 02ExposureDataset · Cryptography leadThe exposure module houses the portfolio data, such as location-specific information.
    2. 04Vulnerability moduleModel · Model developerThe vulnerability module quantifies the expected damage to the exposures from an event.
  3. 03 Financial

    1. 05Financial moduleModel · Cryptography leadThe financial module calculates losses from all event scenarios. Ground-up, gross and net losses differ as shown below.
    2. 06Event loss tableDataset · Cryptography leadAn event loss table lists each event with its annual occurrence probability and its loss for the portfolio.
    3. 07Year loss tableDataset · Cryptography leadSome models also sample simulated years from event losses. This outline does not describe their format.
  4. 04 Metrics

    1. 08Exceedance probability curvesModel · Cryptography leadThe occurrence curve gives the chance that the largest loss in a year exceeds an amount. The aggregate curve does so for the sum of losses.
    2. 09AAL, PML and TVaRModel · Cryptography leadAverage annual loss sums event probability times loss. PML is one point on the occurrence curve.
  5. 05 Use of results

    1. 10Use of resultsDecision · Cryptography leadThe tail metrics are used when considering a portfolio’s exposure and the level of catastrophe reinsurance an insurer requires.

Outline of an external standard or method, from its public sources. It describes what the framework says, not a record of any run. It does not show that Nexus or any partner performs, certifies or approves a step. A gate is a step of the method, never a Nexus approval.

09Stewardship

Who maintains the method.

Systems Science and Modelling stewards probability and statistics for the Consortium and reviews how it is applied across platforms.

11Questions

Questions and answers.

What are the limits of probability and statistics in this field?
Inference depends on assumptions about independence, distribution and sampling that may not hold. Small or biased samples limit reliability.
How are results checked?
Results are checked through diagnostics, cross-validation and sensitivity to assumptions. Independent replication confirms findings.
Are the values on this page real?
The data names, roles and checks are real descriptions of practice. The canvas shows a design of the method’s use, not a run; no result is reported here.
Where else is this method applied?
The canonical method page lists every platform that applies it.
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