Mediaboss Marketing

Quantinuum scientists making adjustments to a beam line array used to deliver laser pulses in H-Series quantum computers. Photo courtesy of Quantinuum.

Today signifies a major achievement for the entire quantum ecosystem: Microsoft and Quantinuum demonstrated the most reliable logical qubits on record. By applying Microsofts breakthrough qubit-virtualization system, with error diagnostics and correction, to Quantinuums ion-trap hardware, we ran more than 14,000 individual experiments without a single error. Furthermore, we demonstrated more reliable quantum computation by performing error diagnostics and corrections on logical qubits without destroying them. This finally moves us out of the current noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) level to Level 2 Resilient quantum computing.

This is a crucial milestone on our path to building a hybrid supercomputing system that can transform research and innovation across many industries. It is made possible by the collective advancement of quantum hardware, qubit virtualization and correction, and hybrid applications that take advantage of the best of AI, supercomputing, and quantum capabilities. With a hybrid supercomputer powered by 100 reliable logical qubits, organizations would start to see scientific advantage, while scaling closer to 1,000 reliable logical qubits would unlock commercial advantage.

Advanced capabilities based on these logical qubits will be available in private preview for Azure Quantum Elements customers in the coming months.

YouTube Video

Click here to load media

Many of the hardest problems facing society, such as reversing climate change, addressing food insecurity and solving the energy crisis, are chemistry and materials science problems. However, the number of possible stable molecules and materials may surpass the number of atoms in the observable universe. Even a billion years of classical computing would be insufficient to explore and evaluate them all.

Thats why the promise of quantum is so appealing. Scaled quantum computers would offer the ability to simulate the interactions of molecules and atoms at the quantum level beyond the reach of classical computers, unlocking solutions that can be a catalyst for positive change in our world. But quantum computing is just one layer for driving these breakthrough insights.

Whether its to supercharge pharma productivity or pioneer the next sustainable battery, accelerating scientific discovery requires a purpose-built, hybrid compute platform. Researchers need access to the right tool at the right stage of their discovery pipeline to efficiently solve every layer of their scientific problem and drive insights into where they matter most. This is what we built with Azure Quantum Elements, empowering organizations to transform research and development with capabilities including screening massive data sets with AI, narrowing down options with high-performance computing (HPC) or improving model accuracy with the power of scaled quantum computing in the future.

We continue to advance the state-of-the-art across all these hybrid technologies for our customers, with todays quantum milestone laying the foundation for useful, reliable and scalable simulations of quantum mechanics.

In an article I wrote on LinkedIn, I used a leaky boat analogy to explain why fidelity and error correction are so important to quantum computing. In short, fidelity is the value we use to measure how reliably a quantum computer can produce a meaningful result. Only with good fidelity will we have a solid foundation to reliably scale a quantum machine that can solve practical, real-world problems.

For years, one approach used to fix this leaky boat has been to increase the number of noisy physical qubits together with techniques to compensate for that noise but falling short of real logical qubits with superior error correction rates. The main shortcoming of most of todays NISQ machines is that the physical qubits are too noisy and error-prone to make robust quantum error correction possible. Our industrys foundational components are not good enough for quantum error correction to work, and its why even larger NISQ systems are not practical for real-world applications.

The task at hand for the entire quantum ecosystem is to increase the fidelity of qubits and enable fault-tolerant quantum computing so that we can use a quantum machine to unlock solutions to previously intractable problems. In short, we need to transition to reliable logical qubits created by combining multiple physical qubits together into logical ones to protect against noise and sustain a long (i.e., resilient) computation. We can only obtain this with careful hardware and software co-design. By having high-quality hardware components and breakthrough error-handling capabilities designed for that machine, we can get better results than any individual component could give us. Today, weve done just that.

Breakthroughs in quantum error correction and fault tolerance are important for realizing the long-term value of quantum computing for scientific discovery and energy security. Results like these enable continued development of quantum computing systems for research and development. Dr. Travis Humble, Director, Quantum Science Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Thats why today is such a historic moment: for the first time on record as an industry, were advancing from Level 1 Foundational to Level 2 Resilient quantum computing. Were now entering the next phase for solving meaningful problems with reliable quantum computers. Our qubit-virtualization system, which filters and corrects errors, combined with Quantinuums hardware demonstrates the largest gap between physical and logical error rates reported to date. This is the first demonstrated system with four logical qubits that improves the logical over the physical error rate by such a large order of magnitude.

As importantly, were also now able to diagnose and correct errors in the logical qubits without destroying them referred to as active syndrome extraction. This represents a huge step forward for the industry as it enables more reliable quantum computation.

With this system, we ran more than 14,000 individual experiments without a single error. You can read more about these results here.

Quantum error correction often seems very theoretical. Whats striking here is the massive contribution Microsofts midstack software for qubit optimization is making to the improved step-down in error rates. Microsoft really is putting theory into practice. Dr. David Shaw, Chief Analyst, Global Quantum Intelligence

Since 2019, Microsoft has been collaborating with Quantinuum to enable quantum developers to write and run their own quantum code on ion-trap qubit technology which includes high-fidelity, full connectivity and mid-circuit measurements. Multiple published benchmark tests recognize Quantinuum as having the best quantum volumes, making them well-positioned to enter Level 2.

Todays results mark a historic achievement and are a wonderful reflection of how this collaboration continues to push the boundaries for the quantum ecosystem. With Microsofts state-of-the-art error correction aligned with the worlds most powerful quantum computer and a fully integrated approach, we are so excited for the next evolution in quantum applications and cant wait to see how our customers and partners will benefit from our solutions especially as we move towards quantum processors at scale. Ilyas Khan, Founder and Chief Product Officer, Quantinuum

Quantinuums hardware performs at physical two-qubit fidelity of 99.8%. This fidelity enables application of our qubit-virtualization system, with diagnostics and error correction, and makes todays announcement possible. This quantum system, with co-innovation from Microsoft and Quantinuum, ushers us into Level 2 Resilient.

At Microsoft, our mission is to empower every individual and organization to achieve more. Weve brought the worlds best NISQ hardware to the cloud with our Azure Quantum platform so our customers can embark on their quantum journey. This is why weve integrated artificial intelligence with quantum computing and cloud HPC in the private preview of Azure Quantum Elements. We used this platform to design and demonstrate an end-to-end workflow that integrates Copilot, Azure compute and a quantum algorithm running on Quantinuum processors to train an AI model for property prediction.

Todays announcement continues this commitment by advancing quantum hardware to Level 2. Advanced capabilities based on these logical qubits will be available in private preview for Azure Quantum Elements in the coming months.

Lastly, we continue to invest heavily in progressing beyond Level 2, scaling to the level of quantum supercomputing. This is why weve been advocating for our topological approach, the feasibility of which our Azure Quantum team has demonstrated. At Level 3, we expect to be able to solve some of our most challenging problems, particularly in fields like chemistry and materials science, unlocking new applications that bring quantum at scale together with the best of classical supercomputing and AI all connected in the Azure Quantum cloud.

We are excited to empower the collective genius and make these breakthroughs accessible to our customers. For more details on how we achieved todays results, explore our technical blog, and register for the upcoming Quantum Innovator Series with Quantinuum.

Tags: AI, Azure Quantum Elements, quantum computing

Read the rest here:
Advancing science: Microsoft and Quantinuum demonstrate the most reliable logical qubits on record with an error rate ... - Microsoft

Quantinuum scientists make adjustments to a beam-line array used to deliver laser pulses in quantum computers. (Quantinuum Photo)

Microsoft and Quantinuum say theyve demonstrated a quantum computing system that can reduce the error rate for data processing by a factor of 800.

Today signifies a major achievement for the entire quantum ecosystem, Jason Zander, Microsofts executive vice president for strategic missions and technologies, said in a blog posting about the achievement.

Quantum computing could solve certain types of problems ranging from data encryption and system optimization to the development of new synthetic materials on a time scale that would be unachievable using classical computers. Scaled quantum computers would offer the ability to simulate the interactions of molecules and atoms at the quantum level beyond the reach of classical computers, unlocking solutions that can be a catalyst for positive change in our world, Zander said.

The secret to success lies in quantum bits, or qubits, that can represent multiple values until the results of a computation are read out. Qubits typically make use of exotic materials, such as superconducting circuits, diamonds with defects or laser-cooled ions.

One big challenge is that qubits tend to be noisy that is susceptible to perturbations that introduce errors. For years, researchers have been hunting for ways to maintain the fidelity of qubits and correct any errors that arise. Such strategies typically involve linking up multiple physical qubits to represent a single logical qubit.

Just a couple of years ago, Microsoft researchers were saying that a quantum computer would need at least a million physical qubits in order to demonstrate an advantage over classical computers. But thats because it was thought that thousands of physical qubits would be required to produce a single logical qubit. If fewer physical qubits are required for error correction, that would make it easier to build useful quantum computers.

The newly reported demonstration addresses that challenge: Microsoft and Quantinuum said they created four highly reliable logical qubits from just 30 physical qubits.

With this system, we ran more than 14,000 individual experiments without an error, Zander said.

In a technical blog posting, Microsofts Dennis Tom and Krysta Svore wrote that they used a qubit-virtualization system to improve the reliability of Quantinuums ion-trap hardware by a factor of 800. Tom is general manager of Azure Quantum, and Svore is Microsofts vice president of advanced quantum development.

An 800x improvement in error rate corresponds to a 29 dB improvement of signal, which is the same as that achieved with a high-quality noise-canceling headset, Tom and Svore said.

The comparison is particularly apt: Activating the noise-canceling function on the headphones to listen to music, while removing most of the environmental noise, is akin to applying our qubit-virtualization system, the researchers said.

Microsoft takes a hybrid approach to cloud-based computing, which combines the strengths of classical supercomputing and quantum processing. Zander said the application of Microsofts qubit-virtualization system moves us out of the current noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) level to Level 2 Resilient quantum computing.

Advanced capabilities based on these logical qubits will be available in private preview for Azure Quantum Elements customers in the coming months, he said.

Microsoft is already looking ahead to the next level.

At Level 3, we expect to be able to solve some of our most challenging problems, particularly in fields like chemistry and materials science, unlocking new applications that bring quantum at scale together with the best of classical supercomputing and AI all connected in the Azure Quantum cloud, Zander said.

Microsoft isnt the only tech company reporting progress on the quantum frontier. Heres a roundup of other recent developments in the field:

Continue reading here:
Microsoft and Quantinuum report a way to turn down the noise in quantum computing - GeekWire

Practical quantum computing tools are about 3 to 5 years out from workforce use and will likely be accessed through cloud based environments, a top National Security Agency official predicted at a Tuesday Palo Alto Networks public sector cybersecurity event.

Neal Ziring, the NSAs cybersecurity directorates technical director, said that quantum computing systems which use the laws of quantum mechanics to solve problems at an exponentially faster rate than traditional computers and are still largely theoretical will likely be accessed via cloud computing platforms rather than on-premise installs, due to cost and practicality considerations.

Even if a government agency would be willing to have one quantum computer on-prem I don't think theyre going to be willing to have multiple, he said.

The intelligence community faces many of the same data processing challenges as the civilian world, he said, noting that the NSA is very wary of adding complexity where its not needed.

The cloud aspect would help users mesh together uses for both quantum computers and classical computers, known as hybrid computing, in which the computational elements of both systems are combined for problem solving.

In the long term, I think we really need to move as a community towards using the quantum algorithms on their own to avoid the complexity and performance overhead, said Ziring, who will soon be transitioning to a management position at the NSAs Research directorate.

Some steps will still be needed to make his prediction come to fruition, Ziring noted. Those will include further research into quantum circuits, which determine the optimal pathways that quantum particles need to follow to successfully execute operations.

Quantum computing, while a nascent technology in practical terms, is viewed as an emerging paradigm that will likely help the intelligence community and Department of Defense enhance their cybersecurity and logistics capabilities. The White House and intelligence partners have been working to bolster government network defenses that aim to prevent systems from being vulnerable to advanced techniques enabled by the creation of practical quantum computers in the near future.

The NSA, in particular, has set a 2035 deadline for IC systems to be locked into these new standards, known as post-quantum cryptography.

Thought leaders in the federal government are trying to prevent quantum-powered cyber incidents like record now, decrypt later attacks where an adversary will hoover up encrypted data streams, store them, and with the eventual existence of a powerful enough quantum device decrypt that data to use for theft or exploitation.

President Joe Biden in 2022 signed a National Security Memorandum directing the U.S. to maintain global leadership in quantum research.

A quantum computer of sufficient size and sophistication will be capable of breaking much of the public-key cryptography used on digital systems across the United States and the world, an NSA readout said at the time of the signing.

The 2024 defense policy bill has a provision that requires a report on the feasibility of establishing a quantum computing innovation center within the Department of Defense.

For now, the U.S. is still in a good spot to take advantage of quantum, but better partnerships between government, industry and academia will be needed to reap the full benefits of the nascent technology, Ziring said.

View post:
Practical quantum computing is coming in 3 to 5 years, but will be cloud based, NSA official predicts - Nextgov/FCW

In recent financial updates, D-Wave Quantum has become a beacon of optimism within the quantum computing sector, receiving raised price targets from industry analysts, which reflect a strong belief in the companys growing market performance and potential. Notably, a renowned investment firm, Benchmark, doubled its price target for D-Wave Quantum, a testament to the sectors promising future.

At the start of trading on a recent Tuesday, D-Waves stock was valued at $1.84 and has since shown consistent growth, as evidenced by its moving averages. Its market cap was recorded at just under $300 million, pointing to a robust financial position in the market.

This increase in value and company prospects has been mirrored by the significant investments of institutional investors, such as Credit Suisse AG and Geode Capital Management. These investors now hold a substantial portion of D-Waves stock, further solidifying the companys standing in the innovative field of quantum computing.

D-Wave Quantums journey is marked by their continuous advancements in providing quantum computing systems and platforms, such as their cutting-edge Advantage quantum computer and Leap cloud service. These advancements are propelling the industry forward at a time when quantum computing is poised to revolutionize various sectors, from drug discovery to financial modeling.

The quantum computing market is on the brink of a major expansion, anticipated to exceed a multimillion-dollar valuation with accelerated growth rates in the coming decade. D-Wave is well-positioned in this emerging industry that, despite facing hurdles in scaling, talent acquisition, and security concerns, holds immense untapped potential.

D-Wave Quantums upward trajectory, bolstered by institutional interest and increasing stock targets, signals a rising wave of confidence in the transformative power of quantum computing. For a deeper understanding of this field, individuals are encouraged to explore credible sources known for rich technology insights and market analysis.

As D-Wave Quantum progresses, both the company and the larger quantum computing industry await heightened investor confidence and expanded market applications in the near future, paving the way for technological revolutions across diverse industries.

The Quantum Computing Industry

The past few years have seen notable developments in quantum computing, an area of technology that leverages the principles of quantum mechanics to process information. Quantum computers are expected to solve complex computational problems much faster than traditional computers, which could lead to breakthroughs in various fields, including cryptography, optimization, financial modeling, and artificial intelligence.

The industry has been gathering momentum due to increased investments from both the public and private sectors, aiming to advance research and generate real-world applications. Companies like D-Wave Quantum are at the forefront of this innovative domain, focusing on delivering usable quantum computing systems and services.

Market Forecasts

Market forecasts for quantum computing are highly optimistic, predicting significant growth over the next decade. Analysts project that the global quantum computing market could be worth billions, expanding at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) that underscores the markets dynamic nature. This growth is fueled by the increasing demand for high-performance computing and the potential for quantum computers to address intractable problems that cannot be solved by classical computers.

Industry Challenges

Despite its promise, the quantum computing industry faces challenges related to technological scalability, talent acquisition, and cybersecurity. Scaling quantum computers to more qubits, which are the fundamental units of quantum computing, is essential for practical applications but comes with increased error rates and complexity. Finding skilled workers with expertise in quantum physics and computer science is another challenge, given the specialized knowledge required. Additionally, the potential of quantum computing to break current encryption algorithms presents significant cybersecurity concerns, calling for the development of quantum-resistant cryptography.

Investor Confidence and Market Applications

With rising investor confidence, as indicated by supportive actions from firms such as Benchmark, and institutional investments from entities such as Credit Suisse AG and Geode Capital Management, D-Wave Quantum and other industry players may see continued growth. This positive sentiment is likely reinforced by the broader industrys potential to impact various sectors dramatically, suggesting a wealth of future applications and a strong incentive for continued investment.

Given this rich landscape, those interested in the quantum computing field are encouraged to stay informed through credible technology news and market analysis sources. As advances in quantum computing continue to accelerate, D-Wave Quantums progress and the overall industrys future developments remain areas of keen interest and high expectations, with anticipation for the transformative effects on numerous industries and societal challenges.

For further insights into the quantum computing market and industry trends, informative resources can be found at technology and financial news outlets, such as Bloomberg, CNBC, or Wired, which regularly cover advancements and market analysis in cutting-edge sectors like quantum computing.

Igor Nowacki is a fictional author known for his imaginative insights into futuristic technology and speculative science. His writings often explore the boundaries of reality, blending fact with fantasy to envision groundbreaking inventions. Nowackis work is celebrated for its creativity and ability to inspire readers to think beyond the limits of current technology, imagining a world where the impossible becomes possible. His articles are a blend of science fiction and visionary tech predictions.

Read this article:
Rising Confidence in Quantum Computing: D-Wave Quantum's Stock Value Climbs - yTech

Quantinuum's latest generation quantum computer with Microsoft's qubit-virtualization system demonstrate logical qubits with 800x better logical error rates than physical error rates

LONDON and BROOMFIELD, Colo., April 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Quantinuum, the world's largest integrated quantum computing company, together with Microsoft, has achieved a breakthrough in making fault tolerant quantum computing a reality, by demonstrating the most reliable logical qubits with active syndrome extraction, an achievement previously believed to be years away from realization.

A collaboration between Quantinuum's team in the USA and UK and Microsoft's quantum computing team has led to the creation of four logical qubits that demonstrate error rates 800 times lower than corresponding physical error rates. Impressively, the joint team demonstrated the ability to run 14,000 independent instances of a quantum circuit error-free. Breakthroughs of this magnitude have the potential to significantly accelerate progress towards the ultimate goal of achieving universal fault tolerant quantum computing, potentially shortening the timeline to tackling real-world problems and revolutionizing fields like materials science and drug discovery.

The achievement stems from the industry leading fidelity, scalability, and flexibility of Quantinuum's 32-qubit H2 quantum processor, Powered by Honeywell, combined with Microsoft's highly innovative error correction capabilities. The joint team created four logical qubits using 30 of the 32 physical qubits available on the H2, leading to the creation of what both companies herald as the most "reliable logical qubits". They also successfully demonstrated syndrome extraction, another critical milestone that is necessary for fault tolerant quantum computing. More details of the results can be reviewed here.

"The result announced today further cements Quantinuum's position at the forefront of universal fault tolerant quantum computing. Today's achievement was only possible using Quantinuum's H2 quantum computer, with its unparalleled 99.8% two-qubit gate fidelities; the 32 qubits in our QCCD architecture; and all-to-all qubit connectivity. Building on the exceptional performance of our current systems, we will continue to innovate to make universal fault tolerant quantum computing a reality sooner than previously imagined." - Rajeeb Hazra, CEO, Quantinuum.

In the new era described by Microsoft as "Level 2 Resilient", quantum computing is capable of dealing with the issues caused by errors, and can begin to tackle meaningful challenges, such as modelling the states of molecules and materials, simulating systems in condensed matter physics, and exploring solutions to problems across many fields. Based on Microsoft's exacting criteria, the demonstration of multiple, entangled logical qubits, with the logical qubits outperforming the physical qubits marks a long-anticipated transition into this second phase of quantum computing.

"This is an important breakthrough for quantum computing. The collaboration between Quantinuum and Microsoft has established a crucial step forward for the industry and demonstrated a critical milestone on the path to hybrid classical-quantum supercomputing capable of transforming scientific discovery." - Dr. Krysta Svore Distinguished Engineer and VP of Advanced Quantum Development for Microsoft Azure Quantum

"As leaders, we will continue to innovate more rapidly than the competition, with hardware innovations and developing applications to take advantage of the new era of truly logical qubits. We will continue to ensure that our customers are the first to benefit from these and future breakthroughs. I am excited to see how they take advantage of reliable quantum computing, to generate more powerful solutions than ever to their most challenging problems." - Ilyas Khan, Vice-Chairman and Chief Product Officer, Quantinuum

About Quantinuum

Quantinuum, the world's largest integrated quantum company, pioneers powerful quantum computers and advanced software solutions. Quantinuum's technology drives breakthroughs in materials discovery, cybersecurity, and next-gen quantum AI. With almost 500 employees, including 370+ scientists and engineers, Quantinuum leads the quantum computing revolution across continents.

The Honeywell trademark is used under license from Honeywell International Inc. Honeywell makes no representations or warranties with respect to this service.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2377853/Quantinuum_H2_Angle_2.jpg

SOURCE Quantinuum

Read the original post:
Quantinuum Partners with Microsoft in New Phase of Reliable Quantum Computing with Breakthrough Demonstration ... - PR Newswire