SUBSTITUTING QUANTUM ENTANGLEMENT FOR COMMUNICATION

We show that quantum entanglement can be used as a substitute for comm unication when the goal is to compute a function whose input data are distributed among remote parties. Specifically, we show that, for a pa rticular function among three parties (each of which possesses part of the function's input), a prior quantum entanglement enables one of th em to learn the value of the function with only two bits of communicat ion occurring among the parties, whereas, without quantum entanglement , three bits of communication are necessary. This result contrasts the well-known fact that quantum entanglement cannot be used to simulate communication among remote parties.