Microsoft and Atom Computing set to launch commercial quantum computer next year

Quantum computing has up to now been one of those things that's always seemed to be on the horizon but just tantalizingly out of reach.

Now though, Microsoft in partnership with Atom Computing have used the Ignite conference to announce a breakthrough in quantum computing that they say will allow them to deliver quantum computers based on this technology to commercial customers next year. Those machines will feature over 1,000 physical qubits.

In case you haven't been keeping up with quantum speak, a qubit is a bit that can exist in multiple states at the same time. The problem with this is that you need a high level of error correction to make it useful so up to now the number of qubits you could practically have has been limited.

What Microsoft and Atom have done is to create 'logical' qubits, 20 of these, created from 80 physical qubits. The logical qubits are able to produce a more accurate solution than the corresponding computation based on physical qubits. The ability to compute while detecting and correcting errors is a critical component to scaling to achieve scientific quantum advantage.

To enable reliable quantum computing, Microsoft has developed the Azure Quantum compute platform. This platform combines quantum-processing units (QPUs) from hardware partners with Microsoft’s qubit-virtualization system to create logical qubits by detecting and correcting the errors inherent in physical qubits, in turn enabling reliable quantum computation.

The Azure Quantum compute platform offers reliable, secure, and upgradable features so that customers can future proof their investment by maintaining access to state-of-the-art quantum capabilities as the underlying quantum technology continues to advance.

"We are excited to continue our collaboration with Microsoft, which has already led to significant milestones in quantum computing,” says Dr. Ben Bloom, founder and CEO of Atom Computing. “By coupling our state-of-the-art neutral-atom qubits with Microsoft's qubit-virtualization system, we are now able to offer reliable logical qubits on a commercial quantum machine. This system will enable rapid progress in multiple fields including chemistry and materials science."

Microsoft and Atom are offering a state-of-the-art reliable quantum computer built from Atom's neutral-atom hardware and Microsoft's qubit-virtualization system, and that integrates with Azure Elements.

The offering is a comprehensive scientific suite that combines logical qubits, cloud HPC, and advanced AI models that, together, enable exploration across multiple fields, including chemistry and materials science, while also providing opportunities for skilling and education. This will also allow the creation of new datasets by the quantum computer that may be used to train AI models for improved performance or accuracy.

You can read more on the Microsoft blog.

Image credit: Microsoft