IBM на пути к квантовому превосходству: новые открытия в квантовых процессорах и алгоритмах Headline: IBM on the Path to Quantum Supremacy: New Breakthroughs in Quantum Processors and Algorithms

IBM has introduced a new processor and an experimental chip designed for fault-tolerant computing. The company also laid out its ambitions to achieve quantum supremacy by the year 2026.

*“To create genuinely useful quantum computing, we must overcome numerous foundational challenges. We are confident that only IBM possesses the comprehensive capabilities to develop and scale quantum technologies simultaneously, encompassing software, hardware, manufacturing, and error correction,” said Jay Gambetta, Director of IBM Research.*

According to the developers, the new Nighthawk represents the most advanced quantum processor available today. Key specifications include:

IBM anticipates a consistent increase in the performance of Nighthawk processors: by the end of 2026, they will handle up to 7,500 quantum operations, increase to 10,000 in 2027, and reach up to 15,000 operations by 2028.

The first Nighthawk systems are expected to be available for purchase by the end of 2025.

Another update pertains to the flagship software Qiskit. In the latest version, developers have gained enhanced control over quantum circuits, with dynamic loops implemented to improve computational accuracy by 24% when working with more than 100 qubits.

Additionally, IBM has integrated an advanced task execution system and C-API interface into Qiskit, which, combined with HPC acceleration, significantly reduces the cost of processing quantum errors by more than 100 times while maintaining result accuracy.

By 2027, the company plans to introduce computational libraries for machine learning and optimization to aid researchers in modeling physical and chemical systems.

IBM also launched Loon, an experimental processor that integrates essential hardware components for fault-tolerant quantum computing. Such systems can detect and rectify failures in real-time.

The developers noted that the company achieved a tenfold acceleration in error correction, learning to perform it in less than 480 nanoseconds, reaching this milestone a year ahead of schedule.

Following the transfer of production to a new factory in New York, IBM has doubled its chip development pace, as stated in the press release.

The company is optimistic that these achievements signal steady progress towards creating scalable quantum systems and lay the groundwork for practical applications of quantum computing in the foreseeable future.

IBM promises to unveil the world’s first large-scale fault-tolerant quantum computer by 2029.

Earlier, Google announced the achievement of «verifiable quantum supremacy» using its new Quantum Echoes algorithm.

The development of quantum computers is still in its early stages. To break the elliptic cryptography of Bitcoin, a system with approximately 2,000 logical qubits would be required.

Considering the necessary error correction, this translates to tens of millions of physical qubits.

In comparison, IBM’s new Quantum Nighthawk processor has 120 qubits, optimized for executing complex calculations while maintaining a low error rate. Its capabilities remain significantly below what is needed to compromise the encryption of the first cryptocurrency.

However, the potential of quantum computers to break the encryption of digital assets based on the Proof-of-Work consensus mechanism has become one of the most discussed topics within the crypto industry.

According to the Quantum Doomsday Clock project’s forecast, quantum computing could become a significant threat within the next two years. However, many researchers disagree with this outlook.

For instance, University of Michigan professor Christopher Peikert believes there is no real threat in the near term.

Others urge immediate action. Among them is Capriole Fund founder Charles Edwards.

*“If we don’t solve the quantum computing issue by next year, gold will continue to outperform Bitcoin,” he wrote in October.*

Recall that in July, a group of developers found a way to protect the first cryptocurrency network from potential threats posed by quantum computers.