Niraj Kumar
I am a Researcher at JPMorgan Chase, serving as the Executive Director - Applied Research Director within the Global Technology Applied Research center. At this position, I lead the Quantum-Inspired Algorithms group, which develops advanced classical methods for big-data analytics, machine learning (including LLMs), and constrained optimization problems. Previously, I have worked as the quantum algorithms developer at the French quantum startup Pasqal, and at PayPal.
I received my Ph.D. in Quantum Computing from Télécom ParisTech, and have a Post-Doc from the School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh. I received my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the Physics Department at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur.
Research Interests
Quantum-Inspired Algorithms
My recent research focuses on quantum-inspired classical algorithms that leverage ideas from quantum computation to design efficient classical methods for large-scale problems:
- Randomized NLA techniques for big-data analytics: fast provable clustering [1], coreset selection and regression [2], [3].
- Classical techniques for fast discrete optimization [4].
- Tensor-based techniques for high-dimensional integration and LLM compression [5].
- Machine Learning / LLM: classical algorithmic techniques for explainability, compression, and fine-tuning [6].
Quantum Research
I have a diverse research experience across both theoretical and experimental aspects of quantum computing:
- Quantum Algorithms: algorithms for machine learning — both variational [7], [8] — and provable methods based on quantum linear-algebra subroutines [9], [10], [11]; as well as optimization via QAOA [12], [13].
- Privacy in Machine Learning using Quantum: frameworks for privacy in distributed (federated) learning [14], [15], [16].
- Quantum Information and Cryptography: quantum vs classical communication complexity [17]; quantum money [18]; authentication [19]; and quantum cloning [20].
- Quantum Advantage Demonstrations: quantum photonic state systems used show advantage in communication complexity [21], and efficient verification of non-interactive zero-knowledge proofs [22]. More recently, I have contributed to quantum advantage demonstrations in optimization [23], certified randomness generation [24], and advantage in streaming settings [25].
Press Coverage of Research Works
- Mention in the Wall Street Journal article of the first realization of quantum streaming algorithm using Quantinuum ion-trap hardware.
- Bloomberg coverage of the Nature paper on the first realization of certified quantum randomness using Quantinuum ion-trap hardware.
- Wired and Quanta Magazine coverage of the Nature paper on quantum communication advantage using photonics hardware.
- Featured in a ZDNet article on the threat of quantum computers to modern cryptography.
- 2Physics magazine coverage of the Physical Review Letter paper showing quantum advantage in conflicting interest games.