Quantum Computing Developments

IBM has unveiled its path to build a fault-tolerant quantum computer.   With a delivery date set for 2029, IBM Quantum Starling is expected to perform 20,000 times more operations than today’s quantum computers. To represent the computational state of Starling would require the memory of more than a quindecillion (10^48) of the world’s most powerful supercomputers.   Since 2020, the company has consistently achieved its roadmap milestones, which should instill further confidence in its commitment to bringing useful quantum computing to the world. Currently, IBM Quantum Starling is being developed at the historic facility in Poughkeepsie, New York, a site integral to IBM's computing legacy. Starling aims to operate circuits comprising up to 100 million quantum gates across 200 logical qubits, enabling the addressing of complex problems beyond the capabilities of classical systems.   Developers should prepare for fault-tolerant platforms by 2029 by exploring IBM quantum systems today, which are already poised to achieve quantum advantage by the end of 2026. https://lnkd.in/eezJHi-M

A couple reflections on the quantum computing breakthrough we just announced... Most of us grew up learning there are three main types of matter that matter: solid, liquid, and gas. Today, that changed. After a nearly 20 year pursuit, we’ve created an entirely new state of matter, unlocked by a new class of materials, topoconductors, that enable a fundamental leap in computing. It powers Majorana 1, the first quantum processing unit built on a topological core. We believe this breakthrough will allow us to create a truly meaningful quantum computer not in decades, as some have predicted, but in years. The qubits created with topoconductors are faster, more reliable, and smaller. They are 1/100th of a millimeter, meaning we now have a clear path to a million-qubit processor. Imagine a chip that can fit in the palm of your hand yet is capable of solving problems that even all the computers on Earth today combined could not! Sometimes researchers have to work on things for decades to make progress possible. It takes patience and persistence to have big impact in the world. And I am glad we get the opportunity to do just that at Microsoft. This is our focus: When productivity rises, economies grow faster, benefiting every sector and every corner of the globe. It’s not about hyping tech; it’s about building technology that truly serves the world. Read more about our discovery, and why it matters, here: https://aka.ms/AAu76rr

Woke up today thinking about how atomic particles carry information — a shift that could redefine computing and communication. We typically think of information transfer through wires and circuits. But at the smallest scales, individual particles — photons, electrons, even atoms — are changing how things could work. 1 / Qubits in Quantum Computing In quantum systems, particles like photons and electrons store information as qubits. Unlike traditional bits, qubits use superposition and entanglement to process certain problems exponentially faster, transforming fields like cryptography and complex optimization. 2 / Photonic Communication (bullish here) Photons transmit data in fiber optics, but in quantum communication, single photons enable secure data transfer. Quantum key distribution (QKD) leverages photons to detect interception attempts, creating highly secure networks. 3 / Spintronics for Data Storage Electron spin, rather than charge, is used in spintronics, leading to faster, energy-efficient storage technologies like MRAM. This approach could revolutionize data density and durability, key for next-gen devices. 4 / Atomic Computing At the experimental edge, atoms themselves are being explored as data carriers. Single-atom transistors demonstrate the potential for ultra-compact processing power, hinting at a new frontier in computing miniaturization. Atomic-scale information transfer is reshaping tech—moving us beyond circuits to a new paradigm where particles drive performance. Thoughts?

𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲'𝘀 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗔𝗜, 𝗟𝗟𝗠𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗚𝗣𝗨𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀! But there’s another technology quietly advancing — one that could make today’s AI systems look primitive: 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗺 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. Last week, IBM revealed its roadmap to build the world’s first large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer — IBM Quantum Starling — targeted for delivery by 2029. This system is designed to perform 100 million quantum operations using 200 logical qubits, scaling far beyond current quantum machines. To represent its quantum state would require **more memory than 10⁴⁸ classical supercomputers combined*. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆’𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀? ⬇️ - Quantum computers use qubits, which can represent multiple states at once — enabling exponential computational power. - They have the potential to transform industries like drug development, materials discovery, and optimization. - At the same time, their power threatens to break current encryption protocols, prompting urgent work on quantum-safe security. - The field is still experimental, requiring extreme conditions like temperatures close to absolute zero — but the trajectory is clear. 𝗜𝗕𝗠’𝘀 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗼𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴: ⬇️ It’s building toward fault-tolerant quantum computing through a stepwise hardware roadmap: 1. Loon (2025) will test new chip components for error correction using quantum LDPC codes — the foundation of scalable quantum computing. 2. Kookaburra (2026) introduces IBM’s first modular quantum processor, combining memory and logic to build systems beyond a single chip. 3.Cockatoo (2027) will entangle multiple Kookaburra modules, connecting chips like nodes in a distributed quantum system. All of this leads to Starling (2029) — IBM’s planned breakthrough system capable of running 100 million quantum operations on 200 logical qubits. These are tightly integrated hardware milestones — solving problems like error correction, interconnects, and scalability — that make large-scale quantum computing actually achievable. 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗽 𝘂𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗱𝘀 — 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲.

Breaking Quantum News: Real algorithms, real data, real quantum machines HSBC, in partnership with IBM, has delivered the world’s first quantum-enabled algorithmic trading trial. Using live, production-scale data from the European corporate bond market, HSBC integrated IBM’s quantum processors with classical systems—achieving up to a 34% improvement in predicting the probability of winning trades compared with classical methods alone. Why it matters: - Bond trading is one of the most complex, data-heavy challenges in finance. - Classical models struggle to capture hidden pricing signals in noisy markets. - By augmenting workflows with IBM Quantum Heron, HSBC uncovered insights classical systems could not. As Philip Intallura Ph.D, HSBC’s Global Head of Quantum Technologies, put it: “This is a tangible example of how today’s quantum computers could solve a real-world business problem at scale and offer a competitive edge.” And as IBM’s Jay Gambetta emphasized: breakthroughs come from combining deep financial expertise with cutting-edge quantum algorithms—demonstrating what becomes possible as quantum advances. This is not hype. It’s not distant. Quantum is entering the market—today. #QuantumComputing #Finance #Innovation #PQC #QuantumReady

The dirty secret of Quantum Computing… Materials are the limiting factor. Everyone talks about quantum algorithms, error correction, and qubit counts. But the real killer of quantum computing isn’t software, it’s materials. Superconducting qubits don’t decohere because we lack clever code. They decohere because: – Surface oxides introduce two-level system noise. – Impurities and defects act like microscopic time bombs. – Atomic-scale disorder destroys coherence before circuits can compute anything useful. That’s why the biggest breakthroughs aren’t happening in code, they’re happening in materials labs. → Google is building qubits with ultra-clean Al/Si interfaces to suppress noise. → IBM is investing in substrate purification to push coherence times further. → Labs worldwide are chasing epitaxial aluminum films with sub-ppm impurity levels. The “quantum revolution” is being held back by dirt, literally. Until we tame materials noise, scaling qubits is just scaling errors. Quantum doesn’t need another hype cycle. It needs a materials breakthrough. #QuantumComputing #MaterialScience #GrowthAndInnovation #DeepTech

MIT Sets Quantum Computing Record with 99.998% Fidelity Researchers at MIT have achieved a world-record single-qubit fidelity of 99.998% using a superconducting qubit known as fluxonium. This breakthrough represents a significant step toward practical quantum computing by addressing one of the field’s greatest challenges: mitigating noise and control imperfections that lead to operational errors. Key Highlights: 1. The Problem: Noise and Errors • Qubits, the building blocks of quantum computers, are highly sensitive to noise and imperfections in control mechanisms. • Such disturbances introduce errors that limit the complexity and duration of quantum algorithms. “These errors ultimately cap the performance of quantum systems,” the researchers noted. 2. The Solution: Two New Techniques To overcome these challenges, the MIT team developed two innovative techniques: • Commensurate Pulses: This method involves timing quantum pulses precisely to make counter-rotating errors uniform and correctable. • Circularly Polarized Microwaves: By creating a synthetic version of circularly polarized light, the team improved the control of the qubit’s state, further enhancing fidelity. “Getting rid of these errors was a fun challenge for us,” said David Rower, PhD ’24, one of the study’s lead researchers. 3. Fluxonium Qubits and Their Potential • Fluxonium qubits are superconducting circuits with unique properties that make them more resistant to environmental noise compared to traditional qubits. • By applying the new error-mitigation techniques, the team unlocked the potential of fluxonium to operate at near-perfect fidelity. 4. Implications for Quantum Computing • Achieving 99.998% fidelity significantly reduces errors in quantum operations, paving the way for more complex and reliable quantum algorithms. • This milestone represents a major step toward scalable quantum computing systems capable of solving real-world problems. What’s Next? The team plans to expand its work by exploring multi-qubit systems and integrating the error-mitigation techniques into larger quantum architectures. Such advancements could accelerate progress toward error-corrected, fault-tolerant quantum computers. Conclusion: A Leap Toward Practical Quantum Systems MIT’s achievement underscores the importance of innovation in error correction and control to overcome the fundamental challenges of quantum computing. This breakthrough brings us closer to the realization of large-scale quantum systems that could transform fields such as cryptography, materials science, and complex optimization problems.

Today marks a historic milestone in quantum computing, as Microsoft and Quantinuum demonstrate the most reliable logical qubits on record. This breakthrough, with a logical error rate 800x better than the physical error rate, signifies a giant leap from the noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) level (Level 1 – Foundational) to Level 2 – Resilient quantum computing.   This progress is significant as logical qubits are only useful when they have a better error rate than physical qubits themselves. The number of physical qubits is a misleading metric; it’s not how many qubits, it’s how good they are and how resilient the quantum system is to errors.   Using the logical qubits we created, we were able to successfully perform multiple active syndrome extractions, which is when errors are diagnosed and corrected without destroying the logical qubits. Active syndrome extraction helps quantum computers stay reliable even when operations are imperfect.   With the promise of a hybrid supercomputing system powered by these reliable logical qubits, we’re paving the way for scientific and commercial breakthroughs that were once deemed impossible.  This achievement is a testament to the power of collaboration and the collective advancement of quantum hardware and software.   You can learn more from my post on the Official Microsoft Blog https://lnkd.in/gnDfcUV6 and the companion technical post on the Azure Quantum blog by Dennis Tom and Krysta Svore: https://lnkd.in/gMRVPG3s. #quantum #quantumcomputing #azurequantum

History was made this week in financial markets. HSBC, Europe’s largest bank, has proven that quantum isn’t just theory...it’s a powerful competitive advantage. In partnership with IBM, HSBC’s quantum pilot delivered a 34% improvement in predicting bond trade fill rates at quoted prices. In markets where milliseconds move billions, that edge is transformative. By combining quantum and classical computing, HSBC tackled complex pricing algorithms that factor in real-time market conditions and risks. Philip Intallura, HSBC’s Group Head of Quantum Technologies, explained: “It means we now have a tangible example of how today’s quantum computers could solve a real-world business problem at scale.” Why it matters: • Quantum computing is projected to become a $100B market within a decade (McKinsey). • Finance is the proving ground where nanoseconds and probabilities drive outcomes. • HSBC just demonstrated how quantum can deliver measurable results today. Quantum is still in its early stages, but breakthroughs like this set the benchmarks for what comes next. Which industry do you think will unlock the first trillion-dollar quantum advantage? #QuantumComputing #FinancialMarkets #BondTrading #FinTech #InnovationLeadership #HSBC #IBM