Australia to buy quantum computer from US | Information Age | ACS – ACS
The Commonwealth is planning to build a quantum computer. Image: Shutterstock
EXCLUSIVE: The Commonwealth government is looking to buy a quantum computing system through a secret procurement process that is rumoured to favour a US-based company, leaving Australias quantum sector annoyed by the apparent snub.
Sources told Information Age the government has been looking to buy its first quantum computer from PsiQuantum, a California-based firm with a stated mission to build and deploy the worlds first useful quantum computer.
The Department of Industry and Science did not respond to Information Ages request for comment.
Australia has a wealth of local expertise in quantum technologies and has, for decades, been a world leader in the nascent fields research and development.
When Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic took office last year, he showed a public desire to take advantage of local talents, knowledge, and manufacturing capabilities to make Australia the quantum capital of the globe.
Indeed, Husics department led the development of Australias first quantum strategy.
But the governments apparent move to go overseas for what one insider described as Australias biggest ever investment in quantum, has been seen by many in the industry as a slap in the face.
Husics office did not respond to Information Ages request for comment.
One industry source, who wished to remain anonymous, questioned why there wasnt an open tender process and said they would have liked the opportunity to form a consortium of Australian companies to apply.
While they didnt disagree in principle with the idea of the Commonwealth buying a quantum computer, the quantum expert said a government decision to buy technology from a US-based company could negatively impact how the local industry is perceived by international investors and buyers.
The government has not previously stated an intention to buy a quantum computer. In this year's budget the Department of Industry and Science added around $20 million for a quantum commercialistation centre and $40 million for the Critical Technologies Challenges Program.
Internationally, government-funded quantum computing projects have proved expensive. The Finnish government last month committed $116 million (EU70 million) to scale up its 20 qubit system while Germany announced in May that it will pour around $5 billion (EU3 billion) to build a 100 qubit system by 2026.
Simon Devitt, a senior lecturer at the University of Technology Sydney and member of the governments National Quantum Advisory Committee, was willing to publicly state that he thinks the government buying as-yet-unproven technology is a ludicrous waste of money that would be better spent on funding to shore up local academic research.
These systems are often extremely expensive and their value is questionable at the very least, he told Information Age.
They do not provide any kind of commercial utility for HPC [high-performance computing], and the utility for developing quantum algorithms or in education is essentially non-existent.
Devitt could not speak to anything discussed in the National Quantum Advisory Committee.
Why quantum?
Quantum computers are probabilistic and can theoretically solve problems that would take a classical computer thousands of years to compute.
They have potential applications in areas like cryptography, finance, and pharmaceutical development, although quantum advantage the ability for one of these systems to outperform classical supercomputers has yet to be proven outside niche experimental settings.
Companies around the world are exploring different ways to create and maintain systems of sufficiently large, error-corrected quantum bits (qubits).
PsiQuantum is pursuing photonic quantum computing technology which involves storing and processing information using individual quanta of light.
The company claims its chips can be rigorously tested using industrial-scale facilities at room temperature which gives them an edge over technologies that must remain cryogenically cooled for longer parts of the testing phase.
Photonic quantum computing is not room temperature since photon detectors still need to be cooled to near absolute zero.
Individual quantum photonic chips may have fewer qubits than competing technologies, but using light as a foundation may allow a cluster of connected chips to pass quantum information between one another via fibre optic cables and scale-up systems with existing technology.
PsiQuantum has an Australian link through its CEO and co-founder Professor Jeremy OBrien who studied in Queensland and Western Australia and completed his PhD with the University of New South Wales.
The company is partnered with US semiconductor firm GlobalFoundries that produces PsiQuantums photonic chip wafers at an industrial scale.
PsiQuantum did not respond to Information Ages request for comment.
Read the rest here:
Australia to buy quantum computer from US | Information Age | ACS - ACS
- Google, Microsoft, and others are racing to crack open quantum computing. Here's how their breakthroughs stack up. - Business Insider - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- Could Investing in This Quantum Computing Stock Be Like Buying Nvidia Prior to the Dawn of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Revolution? - Yahoo... - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- Inside The Quantum Computing Crash Triggered By Nvidia CEO And What His Upcoming 'Quantum Day' May Bring - Investor's Business Daily - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- Rigetti Earnings Reveal the Risks and Rewards of Quantum Computing - Barron's - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- 'Nanodot' control could fine-tune light for sharper displays and quantum computing - Phys.org - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- 3 Quantum Computing Stocks to Buy on the Dip - 24/7 Wall St. - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- How quantum computing is shaping the future of tech - Yahoo Finance - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- AIST Strengthens Quantum Collaboration with ORCA Computing and Universal Quantum - Quantum Computing Report - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- Microsofts Quantum Computing Breakthrough, Explained - The Dispatch - March 5th, 2025 [March 5th, 2025]
- Quantum Computing Startup Says Its Already Making Millions of Light-Powered Chips - Singularity Hub - March 5th, 2025 [March 5th, 2025]
- Quantum computing is creating the future heres how - USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences - March 5th, 2025 [March 5th, 2025]
- Why We Dont Have Real Quantum Computing Yet - Forbes - March 5th, 2025 [March 5th, 2025]
- QunaSys Joins 19.95M ($20.91M USD) EU Project to Advance Sustainable Battery Innovation with Quantum Computing - Quantum Computing Report - March 5th, 2025 [March 5th, 2025]
- Alice & Bob to Host Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computing Workshop with CEA - HPCwire - March 5th, 2025 [March 5th, 2025]
- Rigetti partners with Quanta to boost superconducting quantum computing development - DatacenterDynamics - March 5th, 2025 [March 5th, 2025]
- Quantum Computing Inc. Class Action Alert: Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP reminds investors that a securities class action lawsuit has... - March 5th, 2025 [March 5th, 2025]
- Quantum computing startup says its already making millions of light-powered chips - StartupNews.fyi - March 5th, 2025 [March 5th, 2025]
- A quantum computing startup says it is already making millions of light-powered chips - Phys.org - March 3rd, 2025 [March 3rd, 2025]
- Superconducting Quantum Computing Beyond 100 Qubits - Physics - March 3rd, 2025 [March 3rd, 2025]
- How IBM CEO Arvind Krishna Is Thinking About AI and Quantum Computing - TIME - March 3rd, 2025 [March 3rd, 2025]
- Webinar | 27 March 2025 | Quantum computing: The future of finance are you ready for Q-Day? - FinTech Futures - March 3rd, 2025 [March 3rd, 2025]
- 3 Quantum Computing Stocks To Buy As Microsoft Announces Major Breakthrough - Barchart - March 3rd, 2025 [March 3rd, 2025]
- WT 360: Inside the governments quantum computing push - Washington Technology - March 3rd, 2025 [March 3rd, 2025]
- INVESTOR ALERT: Pomerantz Law Firm Announces the Filing of a Class Action Against Quantum Computing Inc. and Certain Officers - QUBT - PR Newswire - March 3rd, 2025 [March 3rd, 2025]
- Amazon unveils Ocelot, its first quantum computing chip - The Guardian - March 3rd, 2025 [March 3rd, 2025]
- Industry Weighs in on AWS Quantum Computing Chip - IoT World Today - March 3rd, 2025 [March 3rd, 2025]
- Startup PsiQuantum says it is making millions of quantum computing chips - Yahoo - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- IonQs Earnings Hit the Stock. Quantum Computing Rivals D-Wave and Rigetti Are Down Too. - Barron's - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- Interested in Quantum Computing Investing? Here Are 4 Fantastic Picks to Maximize Your Odds of Picking a Winner - Nasdaq - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- Want to Invest in Quantum Computing? 2 Stocks That Are Great Buys Right Now - The Motley Fool - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- 3 Reasons Why Microsoft Is the New King of Quantum Computing With Majorana 1 - The Motley Fool - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- QUBT INVESTOR ALERT: Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman LLC Announces that Quantum Computing Inc. Investors with Substantial Losses Have Opportunity to... - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- Quantum Computing (NASDAQ:QUBT) Trading 0.4% Higher - Here's What Happened - MarketBeat - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- Why Quantum Computing Stock IonQ Dropped Today - The Motley Fool - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- Prediction: These 2 Quantum Computing Stocks Will Be the Biggest AI Winners of 2025 - Yahoo Finance - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- 4 AI Stocks to Watch in the Quantum Computing Revolution - The Motley Fool - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- Quantum Watch: 3 Quantum Computing Startups Set to Disrupt the Industry - TipRanks - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- D-Wave, IonQ and Quantum Computing Stocks Pop: What's Driving the Momentum? - Benzinga - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- Microsoft quantum breakthrough promises to usher in the next era of computing in 'years, not decades' - GeekWire - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- Microsoft claims practical quantum computing could be ready in 'years rather than decades' with new computer chip - Fortune - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- Microsoft unveils chip it says could bring quantum computing within years - The Guardian - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- Microsoft created a new type of matter for its quantum computing chip - Quartz - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- Kipu Quantum and IBM Introduce New Optimization Function in Qiskit Functions Catalog - Quantum Computing Report - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- Microsoft reveals its first quantum computing chip, the Majorana 1 - MSN - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- How Microsoft is rewriting the rules of reality with quantum computing - Interesting Engineering - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- Microsoft Makes Quantum Computing Breakthrough With New Chip - The New Stack - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- Should the Government Fund a Manhattan Project for Quantum Computing? - Built In - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- This Quantum Computing Stock Just Announced a Key New Sales Strategy and Its First Customer - Barchart - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- HPE launches slew of Xeon-based Proliant servers which claim to be impervious to quantum computing threats - TechRadar - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- Quantum Computing (NASDAQ:QUBT) Trading Down 4% - Here's What Happened - MarketBeat - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- 4 AI Stocks to Watch in the Quantum Computing Revolution - MSN - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- The Next Big Thing in Quantum Computing: 3 Startups to Watch - PUNE.NEWS - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- Quantum Computing Is Closer Than Ever. Everybodys Too Busy to Pay Attention. - The Wall Street Journal - February 14th, 2025 [February 14th, 2025]
- Practical Quantum Computing Five to Ten Years Away: Google CEO - The Quantum Insider - February 14th, 2025 [February 14th, 2025]
- Oxford scientists say they have achieved teleportation - The Independent - February 14th, 2025 [February 14th, 2025]
- D-Wave Quantum Announces Another Sale. Its a Milestone in Quantum Computing. - Barron's - February 14th, 2025 [February 14th, 2025]
- This Canadian company is out to stop the biggest quantum computing threat - The Logic - February 14th, 2025 [February 14th, 2025]
- QphoX, Rigetti, and Qblox Demonstrate Optical Readout Technique for Superconducting Qubits - Quantum Computing Report - February 14th, 2025 [February 14th, 2025]
- Quantum computing is already here, experts say - DIGITIMES - February 14th, 2025 [February 14th, 2025]
- FS-ISAC Releases Guidance to Help the Payment Card Industry Mitigate Risks of Quantum Computing - The Quantum Insider - February 14th, 2025 [February 14th, 2025]
- Quantum Corporation: Improved Results, But Still Not A Quantum Computing Play - Sell - Seeking Alpha - February 14th, 2025 [February 14th, 2025]
- Why AI firms should follow the example of quantum computing research - New Scientist - February 14th, 2025 [February 14th, 2025]
- Unlocking the Future: IonQ Revolutionizes Quantum Computing at CES 2025! - Jomfruland.net - February 14th, 2025 [February 14th, 2025]
- Billionaire Bill Gates Thinks Quantum Computing Could Be Ready for Prime Time Within 3 to 5 Years. Could Nvidia Be in Trouble If He's Right? - The... - February 14th, 2025 [February 14th, 2025]
- Quantum Computing in 2025: Will the Asia Pacific Continue Its Advancement? - Telecom Review Asia - February 14th, 2025 [February 14th, 2025]
- Is D-Wave the Future of Computing? Discover the Quantum Leap! - Jomfruland.net - February 14th, 2025 [February 14th, 2025]
- Revolutionizing Computing: The Rise of D-Wave! The Future of Quantum Technology - Jomfruland.net - February 14th, 2025 [February 14th, 2025]
- Quantum computing startup OQT announced on the 13th that it has attracted 3 billion won worth of see.. - - February 12th, 2025 [February 12th, 2025]
- 2 Top Quantum Computing Stocks to Buy in 2025 - The Motley Fool - February 12th, 2025 [February 12th, 2025]
- 3 Top-Rated Quantum Computing Stocks To Buy In February 2025 - Barchart - February 12th, 2025 [February 12th, 2025]
- Quantum Computing Breakthrough Brings Us Closer to Universal Simulation - SciTechDaily - February 12th, 2025 [February 12th, 2025]
- Allston quantum computing firm plans to nearly double workforce - The Boston Globe - February 12th, 2025 [February 12th, 2025]
- Quantum Computing: A Beginners Guide to Understanding the Next Revolution - TipRanks - February 12th, 2025 [February 12th, 2025]
- Want to Invest in Quantum Computing? 1 Stock That Is a Great Buy Right Now. - The Motley Fool - February 12th, 2025 [February 12th, 2025]
- 2 Top Quantum Computing Stocks to Buy in February - The Motley Fool - February 12th, 2025 [February 12th, 2025]
- Oxford quantum teleportation breakthrough brings scalable quantum computing closer to reality - Innovation News Network - February 12th, 2025 [February 12th, 2025]
- Preparing for a Quantum Computing Nightmare on the Stock Exchange: What Is Q-Day? - TipRanks - February 12th, 2025 [February 12th, 2025]
- Are Quantum Computing Stocks Worth The Investment? - Seeking Alpha - February 12th, 2025 [February 12th, 2025]
- 7 Best Quantum Computing Stocks to Buy in 2025 | Investing - U.S News & World Report Money - February 12th, 2025 [February 12th, 2025]
- Quantum computing will bring lost Bitcoin 'back in circulation Tether CEO - Cointelegraph - February 12th, 2025 [February 12th, 2025]