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IBM to offer access to a dual-processor quantum system in 2027
Ars Technica • • business
Key Points:
- IBM updated its quantum computing roadmap at its Quantum Developer’s Conference, aiming to develop error-corrected quantum computers before 2030, with a focus on expanding its Nighthawk processors to over 500 programmable qubits by 2027.
- The company reduced its plan for linking multiple Nighthawk processors from nine to two, indicating a shift in how it will scale qubit counts while maintaining the total qubits planned for next year.
- A key performance improvement in the latest Nighthawk r2 processor comes from hardware-based qubit resets, using additional physical qubits to quickly reset programmable qubits, resulting in up to a 19-fold speed increase in some operations.
- IBM’s roadmap runs on two parallel tracks: one targeting technical development for error-corrected hardware and another delivering high-performance general-purpose processors like Nighthawk for current algorithm testing.
- To achieve useful error-corrected quantum computing, IBM plans to integrate around 300 hardware qubits per block of 12 logical qubits, requiring larger chips and linking multiple chips together by the end of next year to reach over 100 logical qubits.
