John M. Martinis Teams up with HPE and Chip Industry Firms
John M. Martinis, a recipient of this year's Nobel Prize in physics for advancements in quantum computing, teamed up with HPE and various chip companies to develop a feasible, mass-manufacturable quantum supercomputer.
Quantum computers have the potential to address challenges in chemistry, medicine, and other areas that classical computers would take millennia to resolve.
Leading technology companies like IBM, Microsoft, and Google's parent company Alphabet, where Martinis was employed prior to founding his current venture Qolab, are all competing to create the technology.
However, those initiatives are primarily isolated, constructed one computer at a time by small groups. The recently formed Quantum Scaling Alliance intends to create quantum computers utilizing the same machinery that produces hundreds of millions of chips annually for smartphones, laptops, or AI servers.
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Since the initial research in the 1980s, quantum chips that operate using qubits have been produced "in an artisanal way," created in small quantities at once. The collaboration will feature established chip industry suppliers like Applied Materials, known for manufacturing chip tools, and Synopsys, which develops chip design software, to produce larger, more reliable quantum chips.
"At this moment, we believe it's necessary to transition to a more conventional professional approach, utilizing highly advanced tools," Martinis stated. As quantum chips increase in size, they will require integration with classical computers for essential tasks like correcting errors that could interfere with the operation of quantum circuits.
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However, integrating classical machines with current supercomputers like those produced by HPE will be challenging due to the lack of unified industry standards for this process. Masoud Mohseni, a prominent technologist at HPE heading the quantum team, collaborated with Martinis and around thirty other researchers last year on a strategy for implementation, which they will execute with the consortium.
"Many people believe, somewhat simplistically, that upon achieving a system with hundreds (of qubits) or reaching thousands, it's possible to scale it up to millions. That's simply untrue," Mohseni says.
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The alliance’s other founders include 1QBit, Quantum Machines, Riverlane, and the University of Wisconsin.