Quantum computing will undoubtably play a significant role in the futures of numerous of fields ranging from cryptography to artificial intelligence. However, its impact in (and on) creative fields and aesthetics remains an emergent terrain. The principles of quantum mechanics—such as superposition and entanglement—offer radical new approaches to computation that may redefine creative possibilities. According to Bettina Kames, director and co-founder of the Berlin-based art foundation LAS that works at the intersection of art, new technology and science, “Artificial intelligence has already become established in our society, and quantum computing is expected to follow in the coming years.” By exploring how quantum computing intersects with design, we can begin to speculate on a future where designers manipulate complex probabilities and non-binary logic to generate new visual and spatial forms.
Quantum Principles in Design
Classical computing relies on binary logic—ones and zeros—to execute calculations and render digital processes and experiences. Quantum computing, by contrast, leverages superposition, where quantum bits (qubits) can exist in multiple states simultaneously. As a result, vast parallel calculations can exponentially expand the scope of computational creativity.
In a design context, superposition allows for the simultaneous exploration of multiple aesthetic possibilities. Instead of working within a linear process of iteration, designers could create dynamic systems where every possible variation of a design exists simultaneously until resolved by user interaction or external input. This could lead to adaptive, fluid aesthetics that are no longer constrained by traditional computational limitations.
Explorations in Quantum Computing
A growing number of artists, designers, and creative technologists are utilizing quantum computing as both a tool and a conceptual framework for their work.
Libby Heaney, a quantum physicist and artist, investigates the aesthetic implications of quantum superposition and entanglement in digital media, exemplified in works like Ent-, which use quantum algorithms to create fluid, shifting imagery that defies classical structures.
According to Heaney, in addition to its computational power, quantum computing “brings forth concerns about surveillance capitalism and the disruption of existing methods of data protection.”
Julius von Bismarck, known for explorations in knowledge domains of dialectics and perception, has begun integrating computational randomness into his practice, suggesting new possibilities for quantum-generated aesthetics. While his direct engagement with quantum mechanics is, arguably, speculative, his exploration of chaotic and stochastic systems resonates with the principles of quantum randomness, hinting at future conceptions of quantum-inspired aesthetics.
Laure Prouvost, a Turner Prize-winning artist, worked with Hartmut Neven, found of Google's Quantum AI Lab, and Tobias Rees, researching principles of quantum computing for 2 years. During that time she experimented with an AI model working with data recorded from quantum computing. Her resulting work “We Felt a Star Dying,” commissioned by LAS and co-commissioned by OGR Torino and on exhibition at Kraftwork Berlin, presents a multi-sensory exploration into quantum phenomena.
According to Prouvost “[This project aims] to trigger the switch all together from our Newtonian habits of translating the world to a quantum reality, with its micro free spirit and entanglement. These words, this ink, letters, these pixels are infinite quantum effects that are one with us. The exhibition wants to feel and translate that, in the hope to entangle us all in a preferred state and place.”
Applications in Aesthetic and Generative Practice
The implications of quantum computing extend beyond conceptual art into practical design disciplines. Quantum-informed generative creative explorations could harness probabilistic functions to create compositions that are inherently non-reproducible, challenging traditional notions of discontinuity and non-deterministic conceptions of reality. In more practical terms, example in architecture, quantum computations could drive the generation of evolving spatial configurations based on real-time data, enabling buildings to adapt dynamically to their surroundings in ways previously unimaginable. Additionally, the fusion of quantum mechanics with material science could lead to hyper-complex textiles and materials that shift properties dynamically, resulting in fashion and industrial design products that respond to environmental stimuli.
Challenges and Future Possibilities
Despite its promise, quantum computing in creative domains faces significant hurdles. The technology remains in its infancy, requiring immense computational resources and specialized expertise. Additionally, the sheer conceptual shift from deterministic to probabilistic thinking requires re-education and new toolsets for creative practioners.
Nonetheless, as quantum computing advances and becomes more accessible, it has the potential to transform aesthetic creation as profoundly as digital computing did in the 20th century. By embracing the probabilistic nature of quantum mechanics, practioners may soon craft experiences that blur the boundaries between digital and physical, static and dynamic, known and unknown. The quantum future of creative practice is not just about new tools—it is about new ways of thinking. As more artists, designers, and creative technologists integrate quantum principles into their work, we stand on the precipice of an era where computation is no longer a limitation, but an open-ended exploration of infinite aesthetic possibilities.
