Ibm And Cisco Aim For Networked Fault Tolerant Quantum By Early 2030s

NOVEMBER 20, 2025 – YORKTOWN HEIGHTS, NY and SAN JOSE, CA -- Today, IBM (NYSE: IBM) and Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) announced an intention to collaborate on the groundwork for networked distributed quantum computing, to... By combining IBM’s leadership in building useful quantum computers with Cisco’s quantum networking innovations, the companies plan to explore how to scale large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers beyond IBM’s ambitious roadmap. Additionally, they will work to solve fundamental challenges towards a quantum computing internet. Within five years, IBM and Cisco will aim to demonstrate the first proof-of-concept for a network that combines individual, large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers, enabling them to work together to run computations over tens to... This network would allow problems to be run with potentially trillions of quantum gates, the fundamental entangling operations required for transformative quantum applications such as massive optimization problems, or the design of complex materials... “At IBM, our roadmap includes plans to deliver large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers before the end of the decade,” said Jay Gambetta, Director of IBM Research and IBM Fellow.

“By working with Cisco to explore how to link multiple quantum computers like these together into a distributed network, we will pursue how to further scale quantum’s computational power. And as we build the future of compute, our vision will push the frontiers of what quantum computers can do within a larger high-performance computing architecture.” "Getting quantum computing to useful scale is not just about building bigger individual machines, it is also about connecting them together,” said Vijoy Pandey, GM/SVP at Outshift by Cisco. “IBM is building quantum computers with aggressive roadmaps for scale-up, and we are bringing quantum networking that enables scale-out. Together, we are solving this as a complete system problem, including the hardware to connect quantum computers, the software to run computations across them, and the networking intelligence that makes them work." Scaling a Distributed Quantum Computing Network

IBM and Cisco have announced plans to develop a distributed quantum computing network that would interlink large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum systems within and across data centres. The companies aim to demonstrate the first proof-of-concept within five years, with a longer-term goal of building the foundations for a quantum computing internet in the 2030s. Jay Gambetta, Director of IBM Research and IBM Fellow, says: “At IBM, our roadmap includes plans to deliver large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers before the end of the decade. “By working with Cisco to explore how to link multiple quantum computers like these together into a distributed network, we will pursue how to further scale quantum's computational power. And as we build the future of compute, our vision will push the frontiers of what quantum computers can do within a larger high-performance computing architecture.” IBM’s roadmap positions future quantum processing units as shared resources that can be housed in data centres and connected over short distances through dedicated quantum networking hardware.

​​​​​​​IBM and Cisco have outlined a joint plan to build a distributed quantum computing network capable of interconnecting large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers within and between data centres. The companies aim to deliver an initial demonstration by 2030, with longer term work focused on the foundations of a quantum computing internet. Jay Gambetta, Director of IBM Research and IBM Fellow, says: “At IBM, our roadmap includes plans to deliver large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers before the end of the decade. “By working with Cisco to explore how to link multiple quantum computers like these together into a distributed network, we will pursue how to further scale quantum's computational power. And as we build the future of compute, our vision will push the frontiers of what quantum computers can do within a larger high-performance computing architecture.” IBM’s roadmap sets out quantum processing units that will operate as shared computing resources, deployed in data centres and linked over short distances through dedicated networking hardware.

NTT opened its annual R&D Forum in Tokyo with a sharp focus on optical quantum computing, AI, cybersecurity, and autonomous... IonQ announced plans to acquire Skyloom Global, a U.S. developer of high-performance optical communications terminals used in government and commercial... Quantum Computing Inc. (QCi) reported Q3 2025 results that highlight expanding commercial traction, a significantly strengthened balance sheet, and continued... Companies aim to scale fault-tolerant quantum systems into a high-performance, entangled mesh to serve as the foundation for a quantum internet.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. IBM and Cisco have announced plans to jointly build a distributed quantum computing network capable of linking fault-tolerant systems over long distances. In an announcement on Thursday, November 20, the companies said they aim to demonstrate a two-machine entanglement proof-of-concept by 2030, with the ultimate goal of enabling scalable quantum workloads that span multiple sites and... If successful, the collaboration would mark a shift in how quantum computing resources are deployed, moving beyond single-system scale to a federated architecture capable of trillions of quantum operations. The initiative will combine IBM’s superconducting qubit hardware with new networking infrastructure from Cisco, including microwave-optical transducers, quantum network control layers, and physical and software routing protocols designed for entangled quantum state transmission.

The proposed architecture is intended to support fault-tolerant quantum computers already in IBM’s development roadmap. But it would also require the creation of new intermediary hardware — a planned ‘Quantum Networking Unit’, or QNU — to interface with IBM’s quantum processors and translate static quantum states into flying qubits... IBM and Cisco’s joint announcement this week is easy to misread as another “quantum + internet” headline. It isn’t. The two companies are laying out a step‑by‑step program to turn stand‑alone fault‑tolerant machines into a fabric: first a proof‑of‑concept linking multiple fault‑tolerant computers within five years, then a broader, distributed network in the... That’s more than ambition; it’s a system architecture with timelines, components, and explicit research gaps.

IBM’s own blog frames the idea in one sentence I think is spot‑on: “Fault‑tolerant quantum computing may be our present goal, but it’s just part of the IBM vision for the future of computing.”... At each step, the point isn’t just more qubits; it’s connected qubits. The connective tissue here is a device IBM calls the quantum networking unit, or QNU. If a quantum processor (the QPU) is your server, the QNU is its network interface – an adapter that converts the “stationary” microwave‑domain qubits living on a superconducting chip into “flying” qubits you can... For short hops, those links can sit inside or between cryostats; for building‑scale and metro‑scale distances, you need a much nastier ingredient: microwave–optical transducers that faithfully translate quantum states from the cryogenic microwave world... IBM and Cisco call out those transducers, plus the software stack above them, as the critical inventions for their first demonstration around 2030.

Cisco’s role is exactly where you’d expect it: the network. Over the past year the company has been assembling a quantum‑networking portfolio that looks less like a moonshot and more like the early scaffolding of a product line: a quantum network entanglement chip that... In this collaboration, Cisco’s fabric is meant to ferry entanglement to whatever QNUs the algorithm needs, while IBM focuses on the error‑corrected compute on each end. It’s scale‑out, not just scale‑up. If you’ve followed IBM Quantum for a while, you’ll recognize why this particular announcement is worth taking seriously. The group has a frustrating habit – for rivals – in that it tends to ship what it puts on slides.

The milestone cadence is public and (so far) surprisingly reliable: Eagle at 127 qubits in 2021; Osprey at 433 in 2022; Condor crossing 1,000 qubits in 2023; and the Heron architecture, which deliberately pivoted... Those are not rumors; they’re machines you can point to. Imagine a world where computers don't just crunch numbers—they bend the laws of physics to solve problems beyond our wildest dreams. That's the thrilling promise of quantum computing, and now IBM and Cisco are teaming up to make it a reality with plans for a massive, interconnected network of these mind-bending machines. But here's where it gets exciting: this isn't just about bigger computers; it's about linking them together into a fault-tolerant web that could redefine computing as we know it. Curious?

Let's dive in. IBM and Cisco Unveil Blueprint for an Expansive, Resilient Quantum Computing Grid NOVEMBER 20, 2025 – YORKTOWN HEIGHTS, NY and SAN JOSE, CA -- In a bold move today, IBM (NYSE: IBM) and Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) revealed their joint initiative to lay the foundation for interconnected,... By fusing IBM's expertise in developing practical quantum machines with Cisco's breakthroughs in quantum networking, the partners aim to push past the limits outlined in IBM's ambitious development plan, tackling the big challenges toward... Within half a decade, IBM and Cisco target delivering a preliminary showcase of a system that connects several advanced, error-resistant quantum computers, allowing them to collaborate on calculations involving tens to hundreds of thousands... To put that in simple terms, qubits are the building blocks of quantum computing—unlike regular computer bits that are just 0s or 1s, qubits can exist in multiple states at once, enabling lightning-fast problem-solving.

This setup could handle tasks with potentially trillions of quantum operations, unlocking revolutionary uses like tackling enormous optimization puzzles or designing intricate materials and drugs. "At IBM, our timeline calls for producing large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers by decade's end," shared Jay Gambetta, IBM Research Director and IBM Fellow. "Partnering with Cisco to figure out how to interconnect these powerful devices into a shared network will help us amplify quantum's capabilities even further. As we shape the next era of computation, we're expanding what quantum machines can achieve within a broader high-performance framework." Proof-of-concept expected to be delivered by 2030 IBM is collaborating with Cisco to develop the groundwork for networked distributed quantum computing by the early 2030s.

An initial demonstration of the network is expected to be delivered in the next five years, with IBM stating that the project will help lay the groundwork for the quantum Internet, in addition to... Earlier this month, IBM said it will achieve quantum advantage by the end of 2026, and is on target to develop a fault-tolerant quantum computer by 2029. If successful, the proof-of-concept will demonstrate a network that combines individual, large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers that can work together to run computations over tens to hundreds of thousands of qubits. For that initial demonstration, the companies will entangle qubits from multiple separate quantum computers located in distinct cryogenic environments.

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