"With quantum physics, physics acquired a philosophical dimension. We are not measuring the world as quantum physicist Neils Bohr said, we are creating it. [...] Consciousness is a vital part of this physical system, which should no longer be considered as a mechanical construction, but as a living organism whose individual parts are interconnected by an energetic communication system."
— Ursula Biemann

To produce randomness, most computer systems — including modern cryptographic protocols and generative art — make use of pseudo-random number generators (PRNGs). These are designed to generate sequences of numbers that appear random over large periods, but in reality they are driven by deterministic and predictable arithmetic. In contrast, quantum randomness arises from the inherent uncertainty in quantum mechanics, particularly from phenomena like superposition and measurement collapse. When a quantum system, such as a qubit in a superposition state, is measured, the outcome is fundamentally unpredictable, with probabilities dictated by the wave function. For example, if a qubit is prepared in an equal superposition state (|0⟩ + |1⟩), a measurement will yield 0 or 1 with equal probability, and there is no hidden variable determining the outcome beforehand. The nature of this process lies at the heart of the following experiments.

QRNG

The first experiment is about generating a sequence of true random numbers by repeatedly measuring the superposition of a qubit, using an IBM Eagle QPU: the qubit collapses into a classical bit with a value of 0 (-) or 1 (+) upon each measurement. The left image shows the visualization of the resulting binary sequence from the experiment, while the right image shows the quantum circuit, made for the experiment in Qiskit. While regular computers are capable to generate pseudo-random values, there are methods to generate true randomness, like physical phenomenons such as dice, atmospheric noise or quantum principles (although hardware calibration problems can make the numbers predictable if they're not fixed). The methods that are creating new numbers using quantum principles are usually called Quantum Random Number Generators or QRNGs. This experiment is extremely simple that is using only one qubit, which can also be considered as an introductory "Hello World" program for quantum computing.

Noise

The next experiment is visualizing noise using quantum entanglement. Since qubits are highly sensitive to external disturbances (thermal vibrations, electromagnetic interference etc), maintaining pure entanglement is extremely challenging. Even though modern techniques and improved hardware are helping to reduce noise, today's quantum computers still experience errors. This setup is using one of the simplest quantum circuits called Bell State, transpiled to a Quantum Processing Unit. Based on two qubits, the system sets the first qubit in a superposition (H) then applies a gate (CX) between the first and second qubits for entanglement, so both will collapse to the same value (resulting in -- or ++) upon each measurement. System noise disrupts the perfect entanglement between the two qubits, leading to a loss of coherence (resulting in +- or -+), which is visualized in the sequence. It is worth to mention that this result will change over time, as in the long term, the noisiness of quantum computing systems will fall dramatically.

Random sequences

This experiment can be considered as the first that involves a more complex conceptual layer within it, where the goal is to create binary patterns in the forms of I Ching hexagrams. By repeatedly measuring six qubits in superposition within a circuit, each measurement causes them to collapse into a pattern of classical bits (+ or -) — using an IBM Eagle QPU. The I Ching employs a symbolic language, where abstract representations of complex, dynamic processes are described through chance-based generation of hexagrams. In the system of yarrow stalk divination, the process involves repeatedly sorting and counting 49 stalks into groups, following a structured process to generate one of the 64 hexagrams, which are then interpreted for guidance on personal or cosmic matters. Graphically these hexagrams are usually composed of six lines, each of which can be either a solid line or a broken line. Each symbol acts as a metaphor for natural and human processes, capturing a vast range of interpretations within a single shape. Both the I Ching and quantum mechanics embrace true randomness and the observer's role, suggesting that meaning and conventional reality takes form only through subjective interactions with an unfixed, probabilistic universe.

Symmetry

This setup is based on the combination of the previous experiments: it is generating series of I Ching hexagrams using quantum entanglements. Three qubits are put in superposition within a circuit. Each of them has a connected qubit, entangled together. Upon measurement, the first three qubits will collapse into random binary states, causing their entangled counterparts to mirror the same pattern, forming a symmetrical hexagram. As mentioned before, qubits are highly sensitive to external factors like thermal vibrations and electromagnetic interference and maintaining perfect entanglement is still extremely difficult. Despite advancements in hardware and error-correction methods, quantum computers still encounter noise, leading to imperfections in the hexagram's symmetry, these are represented visually with blue and black symbols. The process is accompanied by sonification, using sound synthesis (oscillators, filters, and amplifiers) to interpret quantum noise. Binary patterns were generated using IBM’s Eagle QPU via Qiskit, while visuals and sound were produced in the browser using JavaScript and WebAudio.

Nondualism

Beyond mathematical affordances of true randomness, there are also other, metaphysical consequences that can be found within the usage of quantum computing. By working with multiple states of possibilities simultaneously, quantum algorithms are now surpassing traditional computational methods in areas like search and pathfinding, transcending regular binary and boolean logic, opening fields into their underlying mechanism of non-dualism. Found in traditions like Advaita Vedanta, Zen Buddhism, and Taoism, non-dualism holds that reality is not composed of independent, separate entities but is an indivisible whole. This aligns with quantum mechanics, where particles do not have definite states until observed, and quantum entanglement suggests that separated particles remain fundamentally connected beyond classical space-time constraints. Just like quantum algorithms, operating the system of I-Ching does not provide fixed answers but rather patterns of transformation, emphasizing that all distinctions dissolve into an interconnected reality — it’s not only a way of manipulating symbols, but also a way of understanding the present, where there are different levels of reality and our perception of it can change depending on the perspective we take.