IBM Targets Practical Quantum Computers By 2029

IBM plans to build a quantum computer called "Starling" (photo: x @IBM)

JAKARTA The International Business Machines (IBM) announced plans to have a practical quantum computer by 2029 in New York. IBM also outlines the detailed steps it will take to achieve it.

Quantum computers utilize quantum mechanics to solve problems that would take thousands of years to work on by classical computers. However, current quantum computers should allocate a lot of resources to correct errors (error corrections), so they are not effectively faster than classical computers.

IBM plans to build a quantum computer called "Starling" in a data center under construction in Poughkeepsie, New York, which will have about 200 logical qubits. Qubit is a fundamental unit in quantum computing, and with 200 IBM qubits hopes to begin to show an advantage over classical computers.

IBM competes in the development of quantum computing with other tech giants such as Microsoft, Google (Alphabet), Amazon, as well as a number of startups that have raised hundreds of millions of US dollars in capital.

One of the main challenges is fast but error-prone qubits. Some qubits must be used to correct these errors so that only the rest of the qubits can be used for useful calculations.

Since 2019, IBM has changed its approach to addressing this issue by developing a new algorithm that significantly reduces the number of qubits needed to correct errors.

Jay Gambitta, vice president who led IBM's quantum initiative, explained that his team is now starting from a chip that is practical to manufacture, then designing a fault-correcting method based on the chip. This approach lends confidence to IBM to build a series of systems between this year and 2027 that will lead to larger systems in the future.

"We have answered scientific questions. Now it's no longer a matter of magic, but a big challenge in engineering. There is no need to recreate tools or new things," said Gambitta, quoted by VOI from Reuters.

IBM is also targeting a much larger system by 2033 to continue developing its quantum computing capabilities.