IBM, the renowned computer and artificial intelligence technology giant, introduced its latest innovation on Monday—a quantum computing chip and machine known as Quantum System Two. The new technology utilizes three “Heron” cryogenically cooled chips, a departure from traditional silicon-based computers.
As tech behemoths like Microsoft, Google’s Alphabet, China’s Baidu, and others engage in a quantum computing race, IBM’s Quantum System Two stands out with its unique approach. Unlike the binary system of ones and zeros in traditional computing, it harnesses the power of quantum bits—subatomic particles capable of existing in a “superposition” of both one and zero simultaneously.
IBM’s breakthrough extends beyond the hardware, introducing a novel method of connecting chips within machines and linking machines together. Coupled with an innovative error-correction code, IBM envisions the production of fully functional quantum machines by 2033. The company plans to integrate the new chip into its enterprise AI platform, Watsonx.
Dario Gil, IBM’s director of research, highlighted the significance of this advancement, stating, “We are firmly within the era in which quantum computers are being used as a tool to explore new frontiers of science.” Quantum computing holds the promise of solving complex problems in physics, chemistry, engineering, and medicine in minutes, tasks that would currently take supercomputers millions of years, if solvable at all.
IBM has already installed one of the Quantum System Two machines at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. Chief Research Officer Serpil Erzurum anticipates leveraging the technology to model protein behavior, offering insights into their shapes during various functions. This capability holds tremendous potential for understanding diseases like cancer and autoimmunity, where computational limitations have hindered real-time structural analysis of molecules.
The unveiling of IBM’s Quantum System Two marks a significant step toward the era of quantum computing, opening up possibilities for accelerated scientific discoveries and groundbreaking applications in various fields.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
