IBM computing

IBM: Quantum computing will unlock billions in value by 2030

As quantum computing research becomes mainstream, developing new use cases is essential for IBM. And while the costs of the technology may still be high, the reality is, quantum computing is poised to be a valuable investment for organizations.

In the second part of this interview with Dr.Anna Phan, Asia Pacific Quantum Alliance Lead at IBM Quantum, Tech Wire Asia learns more about IBM’s plans for quantum computing in 2022, as well as the costs from developing and using the technology.

What can we expect from IBM in 2022 for quantum computing?

We published our technology roadmap in 2020, which puts us on a course toward million-plus qubit processors by the end of the decade.

In 2021, we released our development roadmap, which showcases our integrated vision and timeline for full-stack quantum development, including hardware, software, and applications.

It lays out the path toward developer services leveraging 1,000+ qubit systems, via the IBM Cloud, to investigate error correction. It also provides the technical foundations of how we scale and drive the adoption of quantum computing for our clients and ecosystem.

Developers exploring quantum computing today will be able to do more, faster, as IBM implements technologies designed on OpenShift to work alongside quantum computers. And more developers from different industries will have more reasons and opportunities to explore quantum computing within their workflows.

Recently, we broke the 100-qubit barrier with the introduction of “Eagle”, a 127-qubit quantum processor — the first IBM device that cannot be reliably simulated on a classical device.

This is another step toward the goal of systems capable of exploring applications with a quantum advantage.

This breakthrough gives even more confidence to those in the industry beginning to adopt QC, as well as university students who are choosing their fields of study.

While we announced Eagle, we also previewed the design for IBM Quantum System Two, which is an example of a modular hardware architecture that provides a pathway to continue scaling up quantum processors.

IBM Quantum System Two will support our upcoming 433-qubit IBM Quantum Osprey processor, planned for 2022, and our 1,121-qubit IBM Quantum Condor processor, targeted for 2023.

IBM Quantum System Two incorporates a new generation of scalable qubit control electronics together with higher-density cryogenic components and cabling. It will move us closer to a true quantum data center.

Not only are we working toward increasing the scale of our systems to more than 400-qubit processors by 2022, but our systems will run a wider variety of circuits, allowing users to tackle problems previously inaccessible to any quantum processors.

Will quantum computing technology be more affordable in the future?

Quantum is an area of incredible promise slated to unlock hundreds of billions of dollars of value for our clients by the end of the decade.

In terms of IBM’s roadmap, Boston Consulting Group and IBM see $3B+ in near-term value creation, with IBM’s 1,121-qubit “Condor” processor being an inflection point in 2023.

This milestone marks our ability to implement error correction and scale up our devices, while simultaneously being complex enough to explore potential quantum advantages—problems that we can solve more efficiently on a quantum computer than on the world’s best supercomputers.

Take financial services — according to BCG’s report, quantum capabilities could be in trader workflows by 2025. So too, could these capabilities be in place for powering computational fluid dynamics for aerospace and automotive design.

To accomplish all of this, it will take IBM and an ecosystem to identify the problems, design the right solutions, ensure a quantum ready workforce and quantum ready industries. What quantum roadmap does is it gives business leaders, developers, investors confidence that the “engine to power all of this” is getting stronger. This is key to future value creation.