IBM and Cisco have announced their ambitious plans to integrate quantum computers over long distances, aiming to showcase the functionality of such a network by 2030. This initiative could be a significant step towards the realization of a quantum internet, as reported by Reuters.
At the same time, representatives from both companies warn that to successfully implement this project, new technologies that currently do not exist will need to be developed in collaboration with universities and national laboratories.
Quantum computers have immense potential to solve complex problems in fields such as physics, chemistry, and cryptography that classical systems would take millennia to address. However, their primary challenge is high error rates. IBM plans to have a functional quantum computer by 2029.
One of the major technical hurdles is the process of transferring information. Quantum processors are housed in cryogenic setups where stationary qubits operate. IBM aims to convert these into "flying" qubits – microwave signals that can be transmitted over distances.
Another task is to transform these microwave signals into optical signals for transmission through Cisco's fiber-optic infrastructure. This requires a new type of device – a microwave-optical transducer, which will be developed in partnership with the Superconducting Quantum Materials and Systems Center led by Fermilab.
Additionally, Cisco and IBM will create open-source software that will integrate all components of the future quantum network.
"We view this as a single system, not two separate roadmaps," noted Vidjoy Pandey, Senior Vice President at Cisco Outshift. He emphasized that a collaborative approach increases the chances of moving in the same direction and addressing technical challenges more swiftly.
Earlier, IBM began collaborating with AMD to develop next-generation computing architectures that combine quantum computers and high-performance computing systems.