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IBM Will Sell 50-Qubit Universal Quantum Computer In the Next Few Years (arstechnica.co.uk)

Posted by msmash on from the they-are-coming dept.

Months after laying the groundwork for offerings in emerging tech categories such as artificial intelligence and blockchain, IBM sees quantum computers as a big, if nascent, business opportunity. From a report on ArsTechnica: IBM will build and sell commercial 50-qubit universal quantum computers, dubbed IBM Q, "in the next few years." No word on pricing just yet, but I wouldn't expect much change from $15 million -- the cost of a non-universal D-Wave quantum computer. In other news, IBM has also opened up an API (sample code available on Github) that gives developers easier access to the five-qubit quantum computer currently connected to the IBM cloud. Later in the year, IBM will release a full SDK, further simplifying the process of building quantum software. You can't actually do much useful computation with five qubits, mind you, but fortunately IBM also has news there: the company's quantum simulator can now simulate up to 20 qubits. The idea is that developers should start thinking about potential 20-qubit quantum scenarios now, so they're ready to be deployed when IBM builds the actual hardware.

3 of 90 comments (clear)

  1. Hmmm. by olsmeister · · Score: 5, Funny

    I really want to buy one but at the same time I don't.

  2. Re:"Will" by Shimbo · · Score: 3, Funny

    I think we can reasonably be sure that IBM will deliver on time; just not necessarily in this universe.

  3. And won't by raymorris · · Score: 3, Funny

    In a secret box IBM has a quantum computer. It' ready to ship. And it's not. They call it Computer Advanced Technology, or CAT.