IBM is planning to make its new industry-leading quantum computer open for use by companies and independent researchers in October.
The machine, which boasts 53 quantum bits or qubits, will be accessible to the public via the cloud next month.
The Most Powerful Computer The Public Can Use
According to news release from the company, IBM's new 53-qubit quantum computer is the largest universal quantum system to be available for open access in the whole industry.
CNET noted that the new computer is a big leap from the previous model of IBM Q, which featured just 20 qubits. The new machine is expected to help bridge the merging of traditional computers and quantum physics.
IBM Research director Dario Gil explained that the strategy of the company has always been to allow quantum computing to move beyond isolated laboratory experiments by a limited number of organizations. Instead, the company wants to bring technology to thousands of new users.
"In order to empower an emerging quantum community of educators, researchers, and software developers that share a passion for revolutionizing computing, we have built multiple generations of quantum processor platforms that we integrate into high-availability quantum systems," Gil continued. "We iterate and improve the performance of our systems multiple times per year and this new 53-qubit system now incorporates the next family of processors on our roadmap."
Google is known for having a 72-qubit machine, as the MIT Technology Review noted, but the company has yet to allow external users to get their hands on it. Other companies with quantum computers, most notably Rigetti Computing and D-Wave, have already opened cloud services as well.
IBM Opens Quantum Computation Center
In line with its efforts to advance quantum computing, IBM opened the doors to the IBM Quantum Computation Center in New York State on Wednesday, Sept. 18. It's a data center of the company's quantum machines housing 10 machines as of now: five 20-qubit systems, four 5-qubit systems, and one 14-qubit system.
Within the next month, the center's quantum fleet will grow to 14 systems, including the ultra-powerful 53-qubit system.
While scientists and companies are still trying to perfect the art of quantum computing, it is an important part of the future. It could pave the way to future advancements in medicine, optimization of supply chains, and even financial data and investments.
