At the IBM Quantum Summit held on December 4th, IBM unveiled several new developments in the field of quantum computing. This includes the introduction of the IBM Quantum System Two with IBM Quantum Heron processors, which aims to advance quantum-centric supercomputing. Additionally, IBM announced the stable release of Qiskit 1.0, an open-source software development kit for quantum circuits.
The new IBM Quantum Heron processor, known as Figure A, is a 133-qubit quantum processor that is now accessible via the cloud. It is an upgrade from the previous IBM Quantum Eagle processor and comes with improved qubit fabrication, laminate size, and a significant reduction in errors.
IBM Quantum System Two, represented by Figure B, is a modular quantum computer that integrates classical and quantum computing. It features a middleware layer that connects the two systems and scalable cryogenic infrastructure. This system is designed to tackle utility-scale problems and has the potential to perform 1 billion operations in a single quantum circuit by 2033.
Additionally, IBM announced the upcoming release of Qiskit 1.0 in February 2024. This software development kit aims to make quantum computing more accessible by translating classical inputs to quantum problems. It will also include the Qiskit Code Assistant, an AI assistant bot to aid users in navigating the IBM Quantum Platform.
IBM also unveiled an expanded roadmap for future quantum development, with plans to further improve circuit quality and speed, as well as focus on resource management in the year 2024. Overall, these advancements in quantum computing technology are part of IBM’s efforts to bring large-scale quantum computing to scientific research and solve complex problems in various industries.
