International Business Machines Corp (NYSE:IBM) has unveiled plans to build the world’s first large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer called Starling, which is expected to be available by 2029.
The company outlined a step-by-step plan to build a scalable, fault-tolerant quantum computer by 2029, starting with experimental processors like Loon, Kookaburra, and Cockatoo, and culminating in the IBM Quantum Starling.
It will be housed in a new IBM Quantum Data Center in Poughkeepsie, New York.
IBM estimates Starling will be able to run 20,000 times more quantum operations than current quantum systems, an exponential leap that will enable real-world, practical applications.
By being designed as “fault-tolerant,” IBM aims to address errors and scalability concerns that have held back the widespread commercial application of quantum machines.
Its approach leverages a novel error-correcting code called quantum low-density parity check (qLDPC) codes, which reduce the number of physical qubits needed by about 90% compared to previous methods.
According to IBM, Starling would require a memory capacity equivalent to more than a quindecillion (10^48) of today’s most powerful supercomputers.
The development of a large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer could accelerate advancements in areas like drug development, materials discovery, chemistry, and optimization by increasing time and cost efficiencies, the company added.
"IBM is charting the next frontier in quantum computing," IBM CEO Arvind Krishna said in a statement. "Our expertise across mathematics, physics, and engineering is paving the way for a large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer — one that will solve real-world challenges and unlock immense possibilities for business."
Shares of IBM had added 1.4%, just shy of $276, slightly below Monday’s all-time intraday high of $277.