International Business Machines (IBM) is a multinational technology company that offers a wide range of products and services in the fields of hardware, software, and cloud computing. IBM's hardware products include mainframe computers, servers, and storage devices, while its software products encompass operating systems, middleware, and application software. IBM also offers consulting and outsourcing services to help businesses improve their operations and achieve their goals. IBM has also focused on developing and promoting its artificial intelligence (AI) technology, including its Watson platform, which is used for various applications such as healthcare, finance, and education.

Quantum computing has emerged as a highly promising technology that could revolutionize the way we process information and solve complex problems. Among the companies at the forefront of this exciting field is IBM, which has been working on developing quantum computers for several years now. IBM's quantum computing dreams are rooted in the belief that these powerful machines could solve problems beyond the scope of classical computers. Tasks such as optimizing supply chains, simulating complex chemical reactions, and creating new materials, may be assisted by quantum computing. This article will take a closer look at IBM's quantum computing ambitions and explore the progress it has made in this field.

IBM Quantum Computing Group

IBM dispatched scientists and developers to focus on quantum computing. They have been working with quantum theory since the 1970s and are now known as the IBM Quantum Computing Group. This group is tasked with researching and developing quantum computing technologies, with the aim of building a quantum computer that could outperform classical computers in solving certain problems. With labs and partnerships around the world, this group has accomplished numerous groundbreaking milestones related to quantum computing.

IBM Quantum Experience

Released in 2016, IBM's cloud-based Quantum Experience allows users to access IBM's quantum computers and conduct quantum experiments. The platform provides users with a user-friendly interface that allows them to write quantum programs, run them on IBM's quantum processors, and analyze the results. IBM's Quantum Experience provides users with the ability to access and experiment with quantum computing technologies, which can be used to solve problems that are not possible with classical computers. The platform also includes tools that allow users to learn about quantum computing, including tutorials and educational resources. IBM's Quantum Experience is a powerful tool for researchers, educators, and students who want to explore the possibilities of quantum computing and its potential applications.

One example of someone using IBM's Quantum Experience could be a researcher exploring the development of new materials for use in solar cells. This researcher can use the platform to simulate and test the behavior of different materials under various conditions using quantum algorithms. By leveraging the power of quantum computing, they can rapidly iterate through thousands of simulations to identify the most promising materials, significantly faster than traditional computing methods. Additionally, they can use IBM's Quantum Experience to optimize the performance of the solar cells by running quantum algorithms to calculate the optimal configuration of the cell's components. By utilizing IBM's Quantum Experience, this researcher can accelerate their research and gain new insights into the behavior of materials at the quantum level.

IBM’s Quantum Progress

Quantum Annealers are a type of quantum computer which do not have gates and are used for specific problems. IBM has not been creating this version of the technology. According to IBM researcher Heike Riel, “At IBM, we build gateable quantum computers, which allow a continuous development path from first utilizing error mitigation towards error correction of high-quality circuits that can become universal and can thus provide a fundamental and intrinsic speed-up.”

IBM has built several quantum computers over the years, each with varying capabilities and number of qubits. Below is a brief description of gateable quantum computers and processing chips developed by IBM:

1. IBM Quantum Experience: This was the first quantum device built by IBM in 2016. It was a 5-qubit quantum computer accessible via the cloud and was used to allow researchers and developers to experiment with quantum computing programming.
2. Falcon: IBM demonstrated the 27-qubit processor in 2019. Falcon boasts enhanced coherence properties and is currently used for demonstrating performance and scalability changes before testing on more capable devices. 
3. Hummingbird: In 2020, IBM released this 65-qubit processor. This utilized a heavy-hexagonal qubit layout, which is used to support larger amounts of qubits on the processing chip. 
4. Eagle: 127-qubit processing chip was released in October 2021. Functions similarly to Falcon, while incorporating multiple chip layers for expanded qubit capacity. 
5. Osprey: The 433-qubit processor was released in late 2022. This is the highest number of qubits for any system today. Applying knowledge from previous processor renditions and resulting software has addressed error correction for the growing qubit capacity. 

It is worth noting that IBM also provides access to other quantum computers through their cloud platform, such as the IBM Q Tokyo, IBM Q Yorktown, and IBM Q Poughkeepsie, among others. These smaller systems have fewer qubits but are still valuable resources for researchers and developers working on quantum computing applications. Additionally, a scalable system called Quantum System Two is expected to be released before 2024 and will be the building block of quantum supercomputing at IBM. 

IBM researchers have stated that the goal for 2023 is the ability to build a 1000-qubit quantum computing system. They intend to scale their quantum capabilities to a 4000-qubit system by 2025. In preparation for these goals, Quantum System Two will provide a scalable platform for clients to access these advanced machines over the cloud.  

IBM's achievements in quantum computing are truly groundbreaking and have opened up new frontiers in computing and scientific research. The company has pushed the boundaries of what was once thought impossible, and its innovative work has the potential to revolutionize industries ranging from finance to medicine. As quantum computing technology continues to advance and become more accessible, it is clear that IBM will remain at the forefront of this exciting and rapidly evolving field.

The Dura Digital Takeaway

IBM is a multinational technology company that has been at the forefront of quantum computing research and development. With its IBM Quantum Computing Group, cloud-based Quantum Experience platform, and numerous groundbreaking milestones, IBM is making significant strides in bringing quantum computing closer to commercial viability. As this exciting technology continues to evolve, IBM’s quantum dreams are becoming increasingly tangible. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to explore the possibilities of quantum computing. Contact us today to learn more about how this technology can benefit your business.