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IBM Corp. today announced the launch of its newest quantum processor Heron, featuring 133 qubits of computing power that will serve as the foundation for a new series of processors capable of providing practical utility for science and research.

Alongside the new processor, the IBM unveiled the Quantum System Two, the companys first modular quantum computer powered by Heron, during Quantum Summit 2023, the companys annual quantum computing conference.

The technology giant also announced Condor, a 1,121-qubit processor that is part of IBMs focus on long-term research into developing large-scale quantum computing efforts. In a press briefing, Mattias Stephan, chief quantum architect and IBM fellow, said the device packed 50% more qubit density, with over a mile of flex cabling. The efforts in building the device, he said unlocked the road to scaling.

Although the processor has a massive number of qubits, Stephan said it has comparable performance to the433-qubit Osprey devicedebut in 2022. This is because simply stacking qubits doesnt make a processor faster or more powerful, architectural changes are needed. According to Stephan, what IBM learned from Condor, and its previous Eagle quantum processor, paved the way for the tunable architecture breakthrough of the Heron processor.

Heron is our best-performing quantum processor to date with up to a five-fold improvement in error reduction compared to our flagship Eagle device, said Stephan. This was a journey that was four years in the making. It was designed for modularity and scale.

In 2021, IBM debuted theEagle quantum processorfeaturing 127 qubits, becoming the first processor to break 100 qubits. Earlier this year, the companydemonstratedthat quantum processors can serve as the foundation for tools to provide as practical utility platforms for scientific research to solve problems for chemistry, physics and materials problems beyond brute force classical simulation of quantum mechanics. This opened up a variety of new use cases for researchers.

Since that demonstration, researchers and scientists at numerous organizations including the U.S. Department of Energy, the University of Tokyo, Q-CTRL and the University of Cologne have expanded their use of quantum computing to solve bigger and harder real-world problems such as drug discovery and tuning materials science.

We are firmly within the era in which quantum computers are being used as a tool to explore new frontiers of science, said Dario Gil, IBM senior vice president and director of research. As we continue to advance how quantum systems can scale and deliver value through modular architectures, we will further increase the quality of a utility-scale quantum technology stack.

The IBM Quantum System Two will become the foundation for IBMs next-generation quantum computing system architecture, powered by three Heron quantum processors. As a unit, it combines a scalable cryogenic refrigeration infrastructure and classical servers with modular qubit control electronics. As a result, it will be able to expand to relate to future needs and IBM plans to use the system to house future generations of quantum processors.

The first Quantum System Two is housed in a facility in Yorktown Heights, New York.

To assist with enabling the use of quantum computing for developers, IBM announced thatQiskitwill hit version 1.0 in February. Qiskit is an open-source software development toolkit for quantum that includes tools for writing and manipulating quantum programs and running them on the IBM Quantum Platform or a simulator.

Aimed at making it easier for developers and engineers to work with quantum computing, IBM announced Qiskit Patterns, a way to allow quantum developers to easily create code. It is a set of tools that will allow them to map classical problems, optimize quantum circuits using Qiskit Runtime and then process results.

With Qiskit Patterns and Quantum Serverless you can build, deploy, run, and in the future, share for other users to use, said Jay Gambetta, vice president of IBM Quantum.

Additionally, in a demonstration, Gambetta revealed that quantum developers will be able to use generative artificial intelligence powered by Watson X to make quantum circuits. Using this tool, a user would only need to write out a description of the quantum problem that they want to solve, and a foundation model named Granite, trained with Qiskit data, would do the heavy lifting for them.

We really see the full power of generative AI to simplify the developer experience, said Gambetta.

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IBM unveils next-gen 133-qubit Heron quantum processor and its first modular quantum computer - SiliconANGLE News

Quantum computing is a rapidly emerging technology that utilizes quantum mechanics to solve complex problems faster than classical computers. Researchers are working hard to develop quantum computers that can perform certain computations that are beyond the reach of classical silicon-based computers.

Some of the biggest players in the tech industry, such as Microsoft and Google, along with startups and nation-states, are all racing to develop and scale up quantum machines.

However, they are still facing challenges in making these machines reliable enough in the real world to beat conventional computers consistently. As quantum computing machines have grown in size and power, researchers have faced the challenge of dealing with data errors that arise due to the complexity of the technology.

IBM has recently unveiled the first quantum computer with more than 1,000 qubits the equivalent of the digital bits in an ordinary computer. The company hopes the new quantum computing chip and machine will serve as building blocks of much larger systems a decade from now.

But, the company has also decided to shift its focus towards making its machines more error-resistant rather than larger.

IBM has been steadily increasing the number of qubits in its quantum-computing chips every year, following a road map that aims to double them annually. Its latest quantum computing processor, called Condor, has 1,121 superconducting qubits arranged in a honeycomb pattern. This chip follows on from their other record-setting, bird-named machines, including a 127-qubit Eagle processor in 2021 and a 433-qubit Osprey last year.

As part of its new tack, the company has also introduced a new chip, called the IBM Quantum Heron, that features 133 fixed-frequency qubits with a record-low error rate. Its newly built architecture offers up to five-fold improvement in error reduction. It is the first in a new series of utility-scale quantum processors with an architecture engineered over the past four years to deliver IBMs highest performance metrics and lowest error rates of any IBM Quantum processor to date.

Error correction in quantum computing is a critical concept, as it helps to overcome the inherent noise and instability in quantum systems. However, researchers have stated that state-of-the-art error correction techniques require more than 1,000 physical qubits for each logical qubit that performs useful computation. This means that a quantum computer would need millions of physical qubits, making a useful machine very difficult to build.

However, a new error-correction technique called quantum low-density parity check (qLDPC) has recently attracted a lot of attention from physicists. This technique promises to cut that number by a factor of 10 or more, according to a preprint by IBM researchers. IBM is now focusing on building chips that can hold a few qLDPC-corrected qubits in just 400 or so physical qubits and then networking those chips together to form a larger quantum system.

At the annual IBM Quantum Summit in New York, the computer and artificial intelligence technology giant also unveiled IBM Quantum System Two, its first modular quantum computer and cornerstone of IBMs quantum-centric supercomputing architecture. The first IBM Quantum System Two, located in Yorktown Heights, New York, has already begun operations with three IBM Heron processors and supporting control electronics.

With this critical foundation now in place, along with other breakthroughs in quantum hardware, theory, and software, the company is extending its IBM Quantum Development Roadmap to 2033 with new targets to significantly advance the quality of gate operations. This would enable larger and more complex quantum circuits to be run and help to realize the full potential of quantum computing at scale.

The company aims to reach 5,000 gates with Heron in 2024 and then introduce new generations of processors with higher quality and gate counts. By 2029, they expect to reach a milestone executing 100 million gates over 200 qubits with its Starling processor that uses the innovative Gross code for error correction. This will be followed by Blue Jay, a system that can execute 1 billion gates across 2,000 qubits by 2033. This innovative roadmap will also demonstrate the technology that will enable the Gross code through l-, m-, and c-couplers, which will be demonstrated by Flamingo, Crossbill, and Kookaburra, respectively.

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IBM unveils first-ever quantum computer with more than 1000 qubits - Inceptive Mind

The IBM Quantum System Two with IBM Quantum Heron processors is designed to push quantum-centric supercomputing forward.

A new quantum processor, a modular quantum computer and more were unveiled at the IBM Quantum Summit, held in New York on Dec. 4. This hardware is part of IBMs effort toward large-scale quantum computing for scientific research.

In addition, IBM announced Qiskit 1.0, which is the stable release of the open source programming software development kit for quantum circuits.

While quantum computing is often experimental and used in academic settings, it can be used in the enterprise when organizations need to solve mathematical problems too complex for classical computing, such as creating new chemical combinations in materials engineering or pharmaceuticals. Quantum key distribution and quantum cryptography can be used in cybersecurity.

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IBM Quantum Heron (Figure A) is a 133-qubit quantum processor available today via the cloud. It is the successor to IBM Quantum Eagle, which came out in 2021 and established 3D packaging techniques that laid the groundwork for the companys subsequent quantum processors.

Figure A

Fundamentally, Heron looks a lot like Eagle its the same type of qubits, the same fabrication and the same packaging technology; so most of Eagle has carried straight across; its really some details of the on-chip circuitry and our controls that have changed, said Oliver Dial, CTO at IBM Quantum, in an email to TechRepublic. One of the key breakthroughs from Eagle was the development of multi-level wiring, with the qubits sitting on a single plane, to provide flexibility for signal routing and device layout.

IBM Quantum Heron includes advances in qubit fabrication and laminate size and a five-fold improvement in error reduction compared to IBM Quantum Eagle.

We are firmly within the era in which quantum computers are being used as a tool to explore new frontiers of science, said IBM SVP and Director of Research Dario Gil in a press release.

Specifically, IBM quantum processors are being used in scientific settings to simulate chemistry, physics and materials problems. The long-term goal is to expand these experiments to what IBM calls utility scale in essence, to solve practical, widespread problems.

In this context, utility-scale means a processor with 100+ qubits, which allows the user to run calculations that are too big to be simulated on a classical computer, Dial said. Its the combination of this scale and error-mitigation techniques that will allow users to derive real value from a quantum computer hence utility. Now that weve achieved utility-scale, were seeing people using quantum computing as a scientific tool.

I like to say users are using quantum computing to do quantum computing, Gambetta wrote in a blog post on Dec. 4.

WATCH: Explore quantum computing myths and realities in this TechRepublic video

These institutions work with IBM to demonstrate research exploring large-scale quantum computing:

IBM Quantum System Two (Figure B) is the system behind IBMs current quantum computing system architecture. IBM Quantum System Two combines classical and quantum computing, with a middleware layer in between to integrate the two. Scalable cryogenic infrastructure works alongside classical runtime servers with modular qubit control electronics.

IBM Quantum System Two is remarkable because its the first modular quantum computer built for utility-scale problems, IBM said. IBM expects it to be upgradeable over time, with the goal of running 1 billion operations in a single quantum circuit by 2033. Thats an extraordinary amount of supercomputing resources for a wide variety of scientific and upcoming business operations.

Figure B

Currently, IBM Quantum System Two runs three IBM Quantum Heron processors. It began operating recently at an IBM facility in Yorktown Heights, NY.

Qiskit 1.0, the stable release of IBMs quantum computing software development kit, will be available in February 2024. (IBM first made Qiskit available in 2017.) Qiskit 1.0 is built around the idea of Patterns, IBMs programming template for making quantum computing more accessible by translating classical inputs to quantum problems. Patterns are meant to be run on IBMs Quantum Serverless computing infrastructure.

Generative AI for quantum code programming in Qiskit will be available through IBMs enterprise AI platform watsonx. IBM revealed Qiskit Code Assistant, a generative AI assistant bot made to help users navigate Qiskit and IBM Quantum Platform. Qiskit Code Assistant is coming in alpha in early 2024 for premium subscribers of the IBM Quantum Platform.

Generative AI and quantum computing are both reaching an inflection point, presenting us with the opportunity to use the trusted foundation model framework of watsonx to simplify how quantum algorithms can be built for utility-scale exploration, said Jay Gambetta, vice president and IBM fellow at IBM, in a press release.

Plus, IBM announced:

IBM unveiled an expanded roadmap that will shape its work on developing quantum computing. IBM Quantum System Two is part of the plan as the home of IBMs upcoming quantum processors.

According to the roadmap, 2023 was the year of IBM adding generative AI and speeding up quantum processing by five times with quantum serverless and Execution modes. IBM plans to focus 2024 on improving quantum circuit quality and speed to allow 5,000 quantum logic gates with parametric circuits. (A quantum logic gate is a building block of quantum computing, operating on qubits instead of conventional bits.) IBM Quantum Heron and resource management are on the schedule for 2024.

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IBM's Quantum Processor and Modular Computer Are Now in Operation - TechRepublic

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent in any way the editorial position of Euronews.

Quantum computers that can break cryptographic algorithms would have major cybersecurity implications. Although they might only emerge in the next 5-10 years, the threat should be addressed long before this, Lorenzo Pupillo, Valtteri Lipiinen and Carolina Polito write.

We are now living through a quantum revolution, with modern technology allowing us to directly manipulate individual quantum systems and fully utilise quantum phenomena.

These breakthroughs are enabling a new class of technologies based on quantum mechanics.

Quantum technologies may drastically change the world as we know it. They are expected to positively impact many sectors, including pharmaceuticals, climate and weather modelling, and financial portfolio management.

They could be used for molecular simulation to upgrade electric vehicle batteries, optimise traffic flows or improve generative models that create datasets to enhance machine learning.

These benefits come from the computational advantages of problem-solving in totally superior ways compared to traditional computers.

At the same time, this new computational power also has a darker side and thats why quantum technologies are relevant to cybersecurity.

While quantum technologies can bolster cybersecurity, they can also break widely used cryptographic algorithms, thus breaking into confidential data.

Since most internet applications rely on cryptography to guarantee confidentiality, authenticity and data integrity, cryptographically relevant quantum computers (CRQCs) that can break cryptographic algorithms would have major cybersecurity implications.

A quantum computer with just 20 million quantum bits (a mid-range smartphone has hundreds of billions of bits of storage) would be able to break a code in eight hours that would take today's best supercomputers trillions of years to do.

Currently, quantum computers are too small and error-prone to be a threat experts believe that CRQCs will only emerge in the next 5-10 years but only become truly viable in the next 30 years.

That said, the threat should be addressed long before this, for two reasons. First, sensitive encrypted data can be stored and subsequently decrypted with a CRQC (i.e. "hack now, decrypt later"). Second, transitioning to new, more resilient types of cryptography takes a long time.

Furthermore, advanced quantum cryptography may become a game changer for security and privacy, even more so when coupled with powerful AI systems.

This combination would generate "Quantum AI", allowing for the development of quantum machine learning algorithms that can analyse and make predictions based on large datasets.

Quantum computers only boost certain classes of mathematical problems, meaning that its still possible to develop cryptography based on mathematical problems that are resistant to quantum computers.

This is called "quantum-resistant cryptography". Its reassuring that these solutions exist but there are still hurdles to overcome.

Quantum-resistant cryptography is not a drop-in solution; thus, it requires a potentially complicated transition. Standards also need to be developed, both for quantum-resistant cryptography and for the many protocols that use cryptography.

In short, the transition to quantum-resistant cryptography is a lengthy process, requiring careful planning and it must begin well in advance of CRQCs becoming readily available. Cryptographic agility should be considered during the process, to ease the future transition.

As quantum technologies emerge, we need to seize the opportunity to decide how quantum technologies can help us promote better societies and a more sustainable future.

This is going to be complicated not only is quantum evolving at an unprecedented speed, but our current understanding of the technology, its use-cases, and its potential interconnections with other technologies (such as generative AI and large language models) is still quite limited.

Therefore, as quantum technologies develop, its important to promote responsible governance. Some general principles for responsible quantum could include, for instance, safeguarding against risks and engaging stakeholders in the development process.

This includes addressing societal issues, such as equitable access to these solutions, their ethically aligned development, and respect for human rights.

Where does the EU fit in? After China, Europe is a world leader in publicly funding quantum technologies (about 10 billion since 2016), yet its lagging behind countries like the US when it comes to policies favouring migration to quantum-resistant cryptography and quantum vulnerability assessment.

The final report of the CEPS Task Force on Quantum Technologies and Cybersecurity highlights the need to funnel EU funding into quantum-resistant cryptography, best practices for IT system migration, and cryptographic agility.

It also underscores the importance of transitioning to quantum-resistant cryptography early on, considering the complexity and length of the process, and it recommends a hybrid approach during the transition period. It emphasises a coordinated European strategy, alongside international collaboration and standardisation.

Moreover, its imperative to promote awareness of the potential risks and threats posed by quantum technologies, as well as to address the talent gap in the quantum sector, invest in quantum and cybersecurity skills, and modernise enforcement methods, such as dual-use export controls.

In this context the EU can also play a valuable role, through the EU-US Trade and Technology Council it has promoted an ad hoc task force on quantum in facilitating transparency, information exchange and cooperation.

With all this in mind, the key question now is: will EU leaders seize the moment and take up the quantum challenge in front of them?

Lorenzo Pupillo is an Associate Senior Research Fellow and Head of the Cybersecurity @CEPS Initiative. Valtteri Lipiinen is an Associate Research Assistant contributing to the Cybersecurity@CEPS initiative, and Carolina Polito is an Associate Research Assistant at CEPS, in the Global Governance, Regulation, Innovation, Digital Economy Unit.

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Will EU leaders take up the quantum challenge in front of them? - Euronews

Press release

Qubit Pharmaceuticals and Sorbonne University achieve a major scientific breakthrough by simulating quantum calculations at more than 40 qubits on conventional computers

Paris, December 6th, 2023 - Qubit Pharmaceuticals, a deeptech company specializing in the discovery of new drug candidates through molecular simulation and modeling accelerated by hybrid HPC and quantum computing, announces a major scientific breakthrough after achieving quantum computations simulating 40 qubits with its new Hyperion-1 emulator.

This is an exact simulation of 40 logic qubits carried out at very high velocity, which is an unprecedented achievement in the application of quantum computation, in particular to quantum chemistry , confirms Jean-Philip Piquemal, Professor at Sorbonne University and Director of the Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory (Sorbonne University/CNRS), co-founder and Scientific Director of Qubit Pharmaceuticals, and head of the team that developed Hyperion-1.

Such a level of performance places Qubit Pharmaceuticals among the world's leading actors in quantum computing, all the more so as it was achieved without approximation and with the highest level of fidelity, i.e. without error (or "noise", to use the prevailing expression in quantum physics) and in a very short time, close to what one would expect from a true quantum computer. This performance was achieved in partnership with Sorbonne University's Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, and the calculations were carried out in just a few hours on GENCIs Jean Zay HPC/IA converged supercomputer on 16 computing nodes (128 GPUs(1) A100 NVIDIA) hosted and operated by IDRIS computing center (CNRS), on which the Hyperion-1 emulator was developed.

The ultimate objective: select a drug candidate in half time

This achievement reinforces Qubit Pharmaceuticals' ambition to become the industry reference in molecular modeling-based drug discovery. The result of academic research carried out by internationally renowned scientists2 in France and the United States, Qubit Pharmaceuticals models molecules and simulates their interactions to identify more effective and safer drug candidates. The aim is to halve the time needed to select and optimize a candidate of interest, and more than 10-fold the investment required. This process requires immense computing capacities, available today with supercomputers and multiplied tomorrow with quantum computers.

Key benefits of Hyperion-1, the new emulator from Qubit Pharmaceuticals

The Hyperion-1 quantum emulation opens up new perspectives on the technology of tomorrow In the ever-evolving landscape of quantum computing, a critical gap persists between machines with a limited number of perfect qubits and those with a large number of qubits but laden with error (noise and instability). Hyperion-1, with the velocity and accuracy of its calculations, is a testament to the immense possibilities that lie ahead. Its capabilities demonstrate what will be possible in the wider landscape of quantum emulation and quantum computing. Qubit Pharmaceuticals is proud of Hyperion-1's potential, not only as a proprietary tool, but also as a symbol of perfect emulation, fostering a new era of technological innovation with far-reaching implications for sectors such as pharmaceuticals, finance, encryption, and many others.

Robert Marino, CEO Qubit Pharmaceuticals, states: These quantum chemistry calculations on 40 exact qubits far exceed the performance achieved to date in Europe, and place Qubit Pharmaceuticals on the same footing as some of the top American tech giants. This breakthrough enables us to carry out in a few hours calculations that traditionally take several months.

Jean-Philip Piquemal, Professor at Sorbonne University and Director of the Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory (Sorbonne University/CNRS), co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Qubit Pharmaceuticals, states: Hyperion-1 allows quantum state simulation while benefiting from the stability of classical computers, thus avoiding the errors inherent in today's quantum computers. Thanks to the GPUs in our machines and GENCI's infrastructure, we are able to develop and validate new quantum algorithms applied to drug discovery - a field of research with real public utility.

lisabeth Angel-Perez, Vice President of Research and Innovation at Sorbonne University: "Sorbonne University is a community of talent, and it's also a commitment: a commitment to supporting innovation stemming from French research. And it's because we've given ourselves the necessary resources to develop an ecosystem for the transfer of expertise and innovation that we've been able to accompany and support genuine nuggets such as Qubit Pharmaceuticals. Science must be at the service of society and its well-being. That's the dynamic we're supporting alongside the researchers who make Sorbonne University so rich.

(1) GPU= Graphics Processing Unit (2) Louis Lagardre (Sorbonne University and CNRS), Matthieu Montes (CNAM), Jean-Philip Piquemal (Sorbonne University and CNRS), Jay Ponder (Washington University in St Louis), Pengyu Ren (University of Texas at Austin).

About Qubit Pharmaceuticals

Qubit Pharmaceuticals was founded in 2020 with the vision of co-developing novel, more effective and safer drugs in partnership with pharmaceutical and biotech companies. A spin-off from the research work of five internationally renowned scientists - Louis Lagardre (Sorbonne University and CNRS), Matthieu Montes (CNAM), Jean-Philip Piquemal (Sorbonne University and CNRS), Jay Ponder (Washington University in St Louis), Pengyu Ren (University of Texas at Austin) - Qubit Pharmaceuticals leverages its Atlas platform to discover new small molecule drugs through simulation and molecular modeling accelerated by hybrid HPC and quantum computing. The multidisciplinary team, led by CEO Robert Marino, and the founders are based in France at the Paris Sant Cochin incubator and in the USA in Boston. For more information, or to join an ambitious team, visit http://www.qubit-pharmaceuticals.com

About Sorbonne University

Sorbonne University is a multidisciplinary, research-intensive university covering the humanities, health, science and engineering. Anchored in the heart of Paris and with a regional presence, Sorbonne University has 55,000 students, 3,300 teaching and research staff, 4,000 national researchers and over a hundred laboratories. Alongside its partners in the Sorbonne University Alliance, and via its institutes and multidisciplinary initiatives, it conducts research and educational activities to strengthen its contribution to the challenges of three major transitions: a global approach to health (One Health), resources for a sustainable planet (One Earth), and changing societies, languages and cultures (One Humanity). Sorbonne University is also a member of Alliance 4EU+, an innovative model for European universities that develops strategic international partnerships and promotes the openness of its community to the rest of the world. https://www.sorbonne-universite.fr

About GENCI

Created by the public authorities in 2007, GENCI is a major research infrastructure. This public operator aims to democratize the use of digital simulation through high performance computing associated with the use of artificial intelligence, and now quantum computing, to support French scientific and industrial competitiveness.

GENCI is in charge of three missions:

GENCI is a civil company, of which is owned 49% by the French government, represented by the Ministry of Higher Education and Research, 20% by the CEA, 20% by the CNRS, 10% by Universities represented by France Universite and 1% by Inria.

Media contacts

Qubit Pharmaceuticals Nicolas Daniels ndaniels@ulysse-communication.com +33 (0)6.66.59.22.63 Charles Courbet ccourbet@ulysse-communication.com - + 33 (0)6.28.93.03.06

Sorbonne University Katherine Tyrka, international communications manager katherine.tyrka@sorbonne-universite.fr - +33 (0)1 44 27 51 05

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Qubit Pharmaceuticals and Sorbonne University achieve a major scientific breakthrough by simulating quantum ... - GlobeNewswire