IBM announced a 10-year, $100 million initiative with the University of Tokyo and the University of Chicago to develop a quantum supercomputer powered by 100,000 qubits.
IBM also aims to partner with Argonne National Laboratory and Fermilab National Accelerator Laboratory, members of the Chicago Quantum Exchange and home to two respective Department of Energy quantum hubs.
“We have achieved significant progress along our roadmap and mission to establish useful quantum technology, so much so that we can now, with our partners, truly begin to explore and develop a new class of supercomputing anchored by quantum,” said Arvind Krishna, Chairman and CEO of IBM.
“Quantum information science and technology is at a crossroad where foundational discovery and technical innovation will combine to create real breakthroughs. The University of Chicago is thrilled to partner in this endeavor,” said Paul Alivisatos, President of the University of Chicago.
“We expect our partnership will lead to scientific breakthroughs, acceleration of the adoption of quantum computing for the coming era, and active engagement into the critical societal challenges of humanity,” said Teruo Fujii, President of the University of Tokyo.
The plans for this quantum-centric supercomputer are expected to involve innovations at all levels of the computing stack, and encompass the convergence of the fields of quantum computing and quantum communication, as well as the seamless integration of quantum and classical workflows via the hybrid cloud.
By the end of 2023, IBM intends to debut three cornerstones of its architecture for quantum-centric supercomputers.
One is the new 133-qubit IBM Heron processor. This processor is a complete redesign of IBM’s previous generations of quantum processors, with a new two-qubit gate to allow higher performance.
The second is the introduction of IBM Quantum System Two. The system is designed to be modular and flexible to introduce elements of scaling in its underlying components, including classical control electronics and high-density cryogenic wiring infrastructure. This system is targeted to be online by the end of 2023.
The third is the introduction of middleware for quantum, a set of tools to run workloads on both classical and quantum processors. This includes tools for decomposing, parallel execution, and reconstructing workloads to enable efficient solutions at scale.
Over the next decade, IBM plans to work with university partners and its quantum ecosystem to evolve how its quantum processors can be connected via quantum interconnects.
