University of Kwazulu-Natal

Ibm And Google Say Scalable Quantum Computers Could Arrive This Decade

Bonisiwe Shabane
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ibm and google say scalable quantum computers could arrive this decade

The decades-long quest to create a practical quantum computer is accelerating as major tech companies say they are closing in on designs that could scale from small lab experiments to full working systems within... IBM laid out a detailed plan for a large-scale machine in June, filling in gaps from earlier concepts and declaring it was on track to build one by the end of the decade. “It doesn’t feel like a dream anymore,” Jay Gambetta, head of IBM’s quantum initiative, told Financial Times. “I really do feel like we’ve cracked the code and we’ll be able to build this machine by the end of the decade.” Google, which cleared one of the toughest technical obstacles late last year, says it is also confident it can produce an industrial-scale system within that time frame, while Amazon Web Services cautions that it... The decades-long quest to create a practical quantum computer is accelerating as major tech companies say they are closing in on designs that could scale from small lab experiments to full working systems within...

IBM laid out a detailed plan for a large-scale machine in June, filling in gaps from earlier concepts and declaring it was on track to build one by the end of the decade. “It doesn’t feel like a dream anymore,” Jay Gambetta, head of IBM’s quantum initiative, told Financial Times. “I really do feel like we’ve cracked the code and we’ll be able to build this machine by the end of the decade.” Google, which cleared one of the toughest technical obstacles late last year, says it is also confident it can produce an industrial-scale system within that time frame, while Amazon Web Services cautions that it... The race to build the first workable quantum computer has come alive, with industry leaders Google and IBM both claiming that they can produce full-scale systems within five years. Recent technical breakthroughs have revived confidence in what was once considered little more than fantasy.

"It doesn't feel like a dream anymore," says Jay Gambetta, who is heading up IBM's VP of Quantum. "I really do feel like we've cracked the code and we'll be able to build this machine by the end of the decade." This renewed optimism amongst Big Tech's quantum computing teams comes in spite of the formidable challenges that lay ahead of them. Major tech firms race to build full-scale quantum computers by 2030. Scaling qubits faces key challenges like interference and error correction. Different approaches vie for practicality amid tough engineering hurdles.

Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here. Support South Africa’s bastion of independent journalism, offering balanced insights on investments, business, and the political economy, by joining BizNews Premium. Register here. Tech giants claims that the decades-long race to build a workable quantum computer may finally be entering its home stretch.

A series of recent breakthroughs has convinced industry leaders Google and IBM that full-scale, industrial-grade quantum machines could be within reach before 2030. In June, IBM became the latest to claim a clear path to the prize, unveiling a new blueprint that it says fills in critical gaps left in earlier designs. The company believes its quantum computers could solve problems far beyond the reach of today's classical machines, with potential applications in fields such as AI and materials science. "It doesn't feel like a dream anymore," Jay Gambetta, head of IBM's quantum initiative, told the FT. "I really do feel like we've cracked the code and we'll be able to build this machine by the end of the decade." The long-awaited dream of practical quantum computing is getting closer to reality, thanks to major tech players like IBM and Google.

They are making significant strides toward creating scalable designs that could be turned into fully operational systems in just a few years. This could revolutionize industries by speeding up drug discovery, enhancing AI capabilities, and improving financial market predictions. In June, IBM unveiled an ambitious plan for a large-scale quantum machine. The blueprint fills in the gaps from earlier concepts and shows that the company is on track to build one by the end of this decade. "It doesn't feel like a dream anymore," Jay Gambetta, head of IBM's quantum initiative, told Financial Times. Google, which overcame a major technical hurdle late last year, is also optimistic about producing an industrial-scale system within the same timeframe as IBM.

However, Amazon Web Services (AWS) has warned that it could take 15 to 30 years before these machines become truly useful. The differing timelines highlight the complexity and unpredictability of quantum computing development. Unlike today's computers that work on binary code, quantum computers use qubits. These tiny quantum bits can be 0, 1, or both at the same time. This unique property allows them to explore multiple possibilities simultaneously and solve complex problems much faster than classical computers. The potential applications are huge, from speeding up drug discovery to improving AI capabilities and financial market predictions.

Scaling up quantum computers from less than 200 qubits to over a million will be no small feat. Qubits are inherently unstable and their special quantum states last only for fractions of a second. Plus, adding more of them can create interference that scrambles calculations. Despite these fundamental physics problems, the industry still has to industrialize quantum technology by building chips that can house large numbers of qubits.

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Sign Up For Your Early Morning Brew Of The BizNews

Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here. Support South Africa’s bastion of independent journalism, offering balanced insights on investments, business, and the political economy, by joining BizNews Premium. Register here. Tech giants claims that the dec...

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