IBM Quantum Platform Updates for Professionals

Last week, at IBM Quantum Developer Conference (#QDC25), we updated dynamic circuits, a powerful tool for researchers exploring algorithms and applications that use concurrent classical compute. Learn more on the IBM Quantum blog: https://lnkd.in/ev5pbEHg Dynamic circuits give us the ability to incorporate real-time classical logic within the execution time of quantum circuits. With this capability, we can implement many complex quantum protocols shallow circuit depth—greatly expanding the level of complexity we can explore with today’s quantum computers. We’ve seen many promising demonstrations over the years highlighting how valuable this capability can be, with researchers leveraging dynamic circuits to make exciting progress in quantum error correction (https://lnkd.in/eTbk7ZXp), long-range qubit entanglement (https://lnkd.in/eq4MA5Ch), and complex state preparation protocols (https://lnkd.in/eqijrtCH). However, most of these demonstrations were impossible to scale with the original dynamic circuits implementation we released back in 2022. The new utility-dynamic circuits deliver powerful new features and sizable performance improvements to remove those barriers and enable Qiskit Runtime users to explore their full potential. Key new features include parallel execution for independent sets of conditional operations, a new stretch duration feature that helps you better express timing intent in the design of your circuits, an optimized new `MidCircuitMeasure` instruction, and a new circuit-timing visualization tool to facilitate circuit debugging and optimization, and more. Performance improvements are equally impressive with mid-circuit measurement nearly a full microsecond faster than the prior implementation (65% improvement in duration for dynamic circuit runs), feedforward time down to ~600 nanoseconds, and a 20x speedup in wall clock time for circuit preparation (really a 400x speedup in CPU time thanks to better resource utilization). We put these speedups to work running a 46-site kicked Ising Hamiltonian simulation experiment on 106 qubits—a larger version of an experiment previously studied in the 2024 Qiskit white paper (https://lnkd.in/eze8cRJf). Utility-scale dynamic circuits delivered a a 28% reduction in two-qubit gates for each Trotter step, and up to a 24% improvement in performance over corresponding unitary circuits. This new capability is still a work in progress and we have many additional features and performance improvements in the works. However, they are already proving to be an exciting tool for exploration with enormous potential to accelerate the journey to quantum advantage. Read the blog linked above or take a look at our documentation (https://lnkd.in/e6bESry9) to get started with them today.

IBM Successfully Links Two Quantum Chips to Operate as a Single Device Key Insights: • IBM has achieved a significant milestone by linking two quantum chips to function as a single, cohesive system, enabling them to perform calculations beyond the capability of either chip independently. • This accomplishment supports IBM’s modular approach to building scalable quantum computers, a strategy aimed at overcoming the limitations of single-chip architectures. • The linked chips demonstrated successful cooperation, marking a step closer to larger and more powerful quantum systems capable of addressing complex real-world problems. The Modular Quantum Computing Approach: • IBM employs superconducting quantum chips, manufactured using processes similar to traditional semiconductor technology, allowing scalability and integration with existing hardware infrastructure. • Modular quantum systems involve linking smaller quantum processors, rather than relying on a single massive chip, reducing fabrication challenges and improving scalability. • This architecture allows multiple chips to share quantum information seamlessly, paving the way for constructing larger quantum systems without exponentially increasing hardware complexity. Addressing Key Challenges in Quantum Computing: • Scalability: Connecting multiple chips is a critical step toward scaling quantum computers to thousands or even millions of qubits. • Error Reduction: Larger quantum systems increase susceptibility to errors. Modular architectures provide pathways for better error management and correction across linked processors. • Coherence Across Chips: Maintaining the delicate quantum states across separate chips is technically challenging, and IBM’s success suggests progress in solving this issue. Implications of IBM’s Achievement: • Enhanced Computational Power: Linked quantum chips unlock the potential for more complex simulations and problem-solving capabilities. • Practical Quantum Applications: Industries like pharmaceuticals, cryptography, and materials science may soon benefit from more robust and scalable quantum computing solutions. • Competitive Advantage: IBM’s progress underscores its leadership in modular quantum computing, positioning it strongly in the competitive quantum technology landscape. Future Outlook: IBM’s successful demonstration of inter-chip quantum communication validates the modular quantum computing strategy as a viable path to scaling up systems. Future advancements will likely focus on enhancing chip-to-chip communication fidelity, increasing the number of interconnected chips, and reducing overall error rates. This breakthrough brings us one step closer to practical, large-scale quantum computing systems capable of solving problems previously deemed unsolvable by classical computers.

https://lnkd.in/gzx2NGFg #IBM has recently unveiled its latest #quantum chip, the R2 Heron, featuring 156 qubits arranged in a heavy-hexagonal lattice. This chip marks a significant improvement over its predecessor, the 127-qubit Eagle QPU, and demonstrates IBM's ongoing efforts to enhance the performance and scalability of its quantum computers. Hardware Improvements: 1. Increased #qubit count: The R2 Heron features 156 qubits, compared to the 127 qubits in the Eagle QPU. 2. Improved topology: The new chip employs a heavy-hexagonal lattice arrangement, which enhances the system's ability to execute quantum circuits of up to 5,000 two-qubit gates. 3. Reduced noise: The addition of two-level system mitigation reduces the impact of disturbances to the qubits interacting with the materials surrounding them. 4. Enhanced error correction: Software improvements, particularly the use of Qiskit's tensor error network mitigation algorithm (TEM), contribute to increased accuracy and reliability. Software Advances: 1. Parametric compiling: This feature optimizes data movement and enables the compilation of iterative circuits only once, even if parameters change between iterations. 2. Runtime engine update: The latest generation of the runtime engine improves performance and efficiency. 3. Qiskit Transpiler Service: This preview service utilizes AI-powered transpiler passes to run circuits more efficiently. Impact and Applications 1. Materials science: Researchers can now investigate the electronic structure of materials at the atomic level. 2. Chemistry: Quantum-centric supercomputing enables the modeling of complex chemical reactions and the prediction of new compounds. 3. Life sciences: Biologists can utilize quantum computing to simulate the behavior of biomolecules and understand disease mechanisms.

IBM just dropped their new (updated) quantum roadmap 🔥 I went over it meticulously and here are the main highlights and updates: 🔵 The 5K gate Heron is DONE: This one is very relevant to BlueQubit since some of our own projects have validated this. In some cases where we are ok with a smaller signal/noise ratio (for example peak circuits) we were actually able to even run 10K+ gates 🔵 New chip Nighthawk: Compared to their last roadmap seems like IBM replaced Flamingo chip with Nighthawk. It will have a grid connectivity - this should boost its capabilities and position IBM to challenge Google’s willow chip! They also plan to go till 1000 qubits and 15K gates during 2026 - 2028. Nighthawk is expected to be released this year - looking forward to run things on it! 🔵 “Define problem types for advantage in 2026”: I really liked this line. Given this new hardware capabilities - IBM is doubling down on more quantum advantage experiments. Sounds like we will be hearing lots of exciting announcement in 2026 🚀 🔵 Starling FTQC with 100M gates in 2029: Really excited to see this goal on the roadmap again. Still - I think this is a big jump from 2028 to 2029 to achieve 100M gates. The good news is even if IBM is off here by 100x - e.g 1M gates on 200 qubits - this still means lots of commercial advantage for chemistry and material simulation problems in 2029 🔥 It’s been exciting to follow IBM’s progress over the years and even more so recently as we are able to first hand experience these results in our BlueQubit R&D projects. Looking at the big movements in the ecosystem and this roadmap specifically - I believe 2026 will truly be transformative in the worldwide adoption of quantum computing!