TECH NEWS | IBM unveils next-generation quantum processor

At the annual IBM Quantum Summit in New York, IBM introduced ‘IBM Quantum Heron’, marking the initiation of a new series of utility-scale quantum processors. Engineered over the past four years, this processor boasts IBM’s highest performance metrics and lowest error rates among any IBM Quantum processor to date.

Additionally, IBM presented IBM Quantum System Two, the company’s inaugural modular quantum computer, serving as the cornerstone of IBM’s quantum-centric supercomputing architecture. The first IBM Quantum System Two, situated in Yorktown Heights, New York, is operational, featuring three IBM Heron processors and supporting control electronics.

Building on this foundation, IBM extended its IBM Quantum Development Roadmap to 2033, setting new targets to enhance the quality of gate operations. This advancement aims to enlarge the size of quantum circuits, unlocking the full potential of quantum computing at scale.

“We are firmly within the era in which quantum computers are being used as a tool to explore new frontiers of science,” said Dario Gil, IBM senior vice president and director of Research. He emphasized IBM’s commitment to scaling quantum systems, delivering value through modular architectures and making utility-scale quantum technology accessible to users and partners.

IBM Quantum systems have evolved into scientific tools, capable of exploring utility-scale problems in chemistry, physics, and materials beyond classical simulation of quantum mechanics. Collaborative efforts with institutions worldwide, including the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory, the University of Tokyo, Harvard University, and others, have demonstrated the value of utility-scale quantum computing.

The IBM Quantum Heron 133-qubit processor is now available to users through the cloud, offering significantly improved error rates—five times better than the previous best records set by the IBM Eagle. IBM Quantum System Two, serving as the foundation for the next-generation quantum computing system architecture, combines cryogenic infrastructure, classical runtime servers, and modular qubit control electronics.

As part of the extended IBM Quantum Development Roadmap, IBM envisions housing future generations of quantum processors in the IBM Quantum System Two. The roadmap aims to gradually enhance the quality of operations to extend the complexity and size of workloads.

IBM also unveiled plans for a new generation of its software stack, featuring Qiskit 1.0 and Qiskit Patterns, aiming to simplify quantum software programming. The integration of generative AI through watsonx, IBM’s enterprise AI platform, will automate the development of quantum code for Qiskit, utilizing the finetuned IBM Granite model series.

“This is a significant step towards broadening how quantum computing can be accessed and put in the hands of users as an instrument for scientific exploration,” said Jay Gambetta, vice president and IBM Fellow at IBM.

With advanced hardware and user-friendly software, IBM is positioning quantum computing as a tool for scientific exploration, offering increasingly reliable results for complex problems mapped to quantum circuits.

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