IBM continues to lead the quantum cloud, but faces real competition to service early quantum applications. Building the future of this market still looks like a long game. It may be more important to pick a partner with the right strategy than just to compare today’s product features.
Big ticket investments have created a growing number of quantum unicorns. Chinese strides with photonic and superconducting qubits have grabbed attention. Trapped ions have shone with demonstrations of logical qubits. But who is winning the race to build a practical quantum computer?
To understand the ambitious roadmaps of quantum hardware players we have to start by understand the contrasting advantages and challenges of each of their technology platforms. As we seek to scale up these solutions, the specific flavour of the technology being employed becomes increasingly important. This overview is taken from a presentation originally delivered at…
Nations and regions around the world are continuing the rapid build-out of publicly funded quantum technology initiatives. Everyone wants to build a future quantum ecosystem in their own back yard. In the commercial space, the bounds of international collaboration are beginning to emerge. Investors need to dress for all seasons. Governments around the world have…
IBM continues to dominate the quantum cloud. However access to new more powerful processors will increase competition in the early adopter market. Ideas for user-engagement and education continue to explode with innovation. In the long term, supporting developers is a challenge the conventional software industry understands, but don’t forget that underneath the hood the quantum…
China’s quantum supremacy demonstration may grab headlines, but not yet leadership in the quantum computing race. Leading hardware groups have firmed-up their development roadmaps for the marathon ahead and error correction has become a key part of the story. The challenge of scaling-up remains pre-eminent. A growing number of quantum majors, startups and institutes are…
Silicon enjoys an unrivaled lead in human fabrication know-how and investment. Importantly, in its isotopically purified form, it is an ideal neutral material to host sensitive spin qubits. Proponents emphasise the potential of this technology to deliver chip-scale solutions where some other approaches would require ‘building-size’ machines. But spin quibts are delicate. Nanofabricating the right…
As one of the first quantum platforms to start to significantly scale-up, superconducting qubit platforms have been first to face a series of control plane challenges. These are complicated by the need to work down to extreme cryogenic temperatures. Pioneers face challenges across cryogenics, control electronics and control software. Cryogenics The first challenge for many…
In 2020 everyone will want to persuade you to join their quantum software camp. Not everyone will come away happy. Huddling round the community fire may be a good way to keep the chills of quantum winter at bay. Making camp Everyone knows how lucrative controlling the software playing field became in the original Digital…