Quantum computing has found its way down the path through three different qualitative stages, with each stage mapping to important breakthroughs in the technology. The foundational layer includes today’s noisy, intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) computers, with around 1,000 quantum bits, or qubits. For all their theoretical promise, these machines are rife with noise and mistakes.
Researchers and companies are jumping into these nuances. They’ve begun to roll out error correction protocols, which represents the second tier of quantum computing. With the unveiling of their deep quantum machine, QuEra has clearly taken a big leap forward. They successfully shipped this advanced, error-correcting technology to Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST). All eyes are on QuEra as it aims to have its pioneering machine available to customers around the world by 2026.
The grand aspiration of quantum computing is to create scalable, error-corrected machines. Regardless, these leading edge systems will soon have hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions of qubits. This phase holds the potential to move the field much further forward.
Understanding the Levels of Quantum Computing
This initial stage of quantum computing – defined by the use of NISQ computers – provides a catalyst for continuing progress. These machines, made up of about 1,000 qubits, are still learning how to walk. As Yuval Boger notes, “If someone says quantum computers are commercially useful today, I say I want to have what they’re having.” This declaration is a powerful reminder of the shortcomings of today’s technology.
With their limitations fully considered, researchers still have much to learn by putting NISQ computers to the test for practical applications. They suffer from tremendous obstacles in terms of noise and error rates making reliable computation impossible.
The second level introduces a promising avenue: small machines that implement various protocols aimed at detecting and correcting qubit errors. This systems-based approach is key to improving the reliability and robustness of quantum systems, as well as opening up new application areas. QuEra’s recent delivery of a quantum machine capable and ready for error correction marks an important turning point in this space.
QuEra’s Breakthrough and Future Prospects
QuEra’s recent achievement in delivering an error-correcting quantum machine to AIST highlights the company’s commitment to advancing quantum computing technology. QuEra has plans to deliver the machine to customers all around the world by 2026. It places the company at the leading edge of such work at this time.
In addition to these collaborations, QuEra has already signed contracts with many prestigious institutions including Harvard, MIT, and the University of Maryland. Together, they have brought home some stellar wins. Experiments show that quantum operations implemented with logical qubits can exceed the fidelity of operations executed with bare physical qubits. This exciting advance indicates a direct route to better performance and efficiency for quantum systems.
Srinivas Prasad Sugasani, Microsoft’s vice president of quantum, expressed enthusiasm for the year 2026, stating, “We feel very excited about the year 2026 because lots of work that happened over the last so many years is coming to fruition now.” The excitement around this timeline really speaks to the momentum being created in the quantum computing industry.
The Role of Neutral Atoms in Quantum Computing
One of the more fascinating recent developments in quantum computing is the application of neutral atoms. These atoms can be placed incredibly close together, sharing a rare benefit of trapped ions. Justin Ging, chief product officer at Atom Computing, emphasizes that “If there’s one word, it’s scalability. That’s the key benefit of neutral atoms.”
Though neutral atoms have a bright future in scalability, there is still work to overcome hurdles. Computations on atomic systems are still much slower than their superconducting counterparts with speeds typically one-hundredth to one-thousandth as fast. Jerry Chow, IBM Quantum’s director of quantum systems, acknowledges this disparity but suggests a broader perspective: “I think that kind of level framing…is a very physics-device-oriented view of the world.”
Boger goes on to elaborate on the promise neutral atoms hold, suggesting they’d offer significant speedups compared to earlier technologies. “Because of the unique capabilities of neutral atoms, we have shown that we can create a 50x or 100x speedup over what previously was thought,” he explained. He judged that neutral atoms were likelier than superconducting qubits to deliver the goods. This new assessment goes well beyond the traditional focus on the “time to solution.”
Looking Ahead in Quantum Computing
As the field progresses through its distinct levels, the focus remains on establishing a scientific advantage rather than pursuing immediate commercial applications. This long-term vision underlines the importance of rigorous research and development in addressing the challenges that quantum computing currently faces.
The excitement about what’s possible in the future is tangible among industry leaders. The overarching sentiment is one of optimism, that with more funding and cooperation, bold discoveries will be made in the not-too-distant future.