IBM unveiled the IBM Quantum Heron, the first in a new series of quantum processors that deliver utility-scale performance, at its annual IBM Quantum Summit event in New York on the 4th.

The IBM Quantum Heron processor, which took four years to design, is said to have an architecture that provides the highest performance and lowest error rate of any IBM quantum processor released to date.

IBM also unveiled the IBM Quantum System Two, the first modular quantum computer and the cornerstone of a quantum-centric supercomputing architecture. The first IBM Quantum System Two, installed in Yorktown Heights, New York, began operation with three IBM Heron processors and their supporting electronic control units.

“We are entering an era where quantum computers will be used as tools to explore new frontiers in science,” said Dario Gil, IBM senior vice president and head of research. “IBM will continue to advance how quantum systems scale and deliver value through modular architectures, further enhancing our utility-scale quantum technology stack.”

IBM has announced that quantum computers can be used as scientific tools to explore utility-scale problems in fields such as chemistry, physics, and materials. Already, demonstrations of utility-scale quantum computing have been demonstrated in scientific and research settings, including the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, Harvard University, the University of California, Berkeley, and the International Center for Physics, confirming its value.

Among them are reportedly experiments already running on the new IBM Quantum Heron 133-qubit processor, which IBM is currently providing to users via the cloud. IBM Heron is the first in a class of high-performance processors that significantly improve error rates and is scheduled to be added to IBM's industry-leading family of utility-scale systems next year.

■ IBM Quantum System Two and the Expanded IBM Quantum Development Roadmap
The IBM Quantum System Two is the foundation of IBM's next-generation quantum computing system architecture. It combines scalable cryogenic infrastructure and traditional runtime servers with modular qubit electronics control units.

This new system is a key element of IBM's vision of quantum-centric supercomputing. This architecture is expected to combine quantum communication and computing, supported by existing computing resources, and leverage a middleware layer to integrate quantum and conventional computing workflows.

As part of IBM's newly expanded 10-year quantum development roadmap, the system will also feature IBM's next-generation quantum processors. Additionally, these future processors are expected to incrementally improve the quality of executable tasks to significantly expand the complexity and scale of the workloads they can handle.

■ Qiskit and Generative AI
IBM also detailed its plans for Qiskit 1.0, a next-generation software stack that aims to become an industry leader in stability and speed. IBM also announced Qiskit Patterns, aimed at democratizing quantum computing development.

The Qiskit pattern will serve as a mechanism to enable quantum developers to write code more easily, by simply mapping classical problems and optimizing them into quantum circuits using Qiskit.

It is based on a suite of tools that executes the circuit using the Qiskit runtime and then post-processes the results. The Qiskit pattern, combined with Quantum Serverless, allows users to build, deploy, and execute workflows that integrate classical and quantum computing in a variety of environments, including cloud or on-premises scenarios. All of these tools serve as building blocks that enable users to more easily build and run quantum algorithms.

Additionally, IBM announced the use of generative AI for quantum code programming through Watsonx, IBM's enterprise AI platform.

IBM will integrate generative AI available in Watson X to automate the development of Qiskit's quantum code. This will be achieved through fine-tuning of IBM's Granite model series.

“Both generative AI and quantum computing are at an inflection point, providing the opportunity to use Watson X’s trusted foundation model framework to easily build quantum algorithms for utility-scale research,” said Jay Gambetta, IBM Vice President and IBM Fellow. “This is an important step toward expanding how users can access and leverage quantum computing as a tool for scientific inquiry.”