Technology giants IBM and AMD have announced a strategic partnership to integrate the power of quantum computing into classic supercomputers.
The collaboration will focus on creating hybrid architectures that combine IBM’s leadership in quantum technology with AMD’s expertise in high performance computing (HPC) and AI accelerators.
The partnership is expected to lead to open, scalable platforms that could redefine the future of advanced computing. The idea behind this project is to create so-called quantum-centric supercomputers.
In such a model, quantum processors will operate in tandem with a classic HPC infrastructure, driven by CPUs, GPUs and FPGAs from AMD.
The hybrid concept assumes that complex computational problems will be broken down into parts and solved by the technology that is best suited for this.
For example, a quantum computer could tackle the simulation of the behaviour of atoms and molecules at the quantum level – a task not feasible for classical machines – while supercomputers based on the AMD architecture would analyse huge result data sets and support processes using artificial intelligence.
Such synergies are expected to allow real-world problems to be solved in areas such as drug and material discovery, logistics or the optimisation of complex systems at a scale and speed not previously possible.
The companies are exploring how to integrate AMD’s technologies with IBM’s quantum systems to accelerate a new class of algorithms.
One of the key aspects of the collaboration is expected to be the use of AMD’s real-time error correction solutions, a fundamental challenge on the road to building stable and fault-tolerant quantum computers.
The first demonstration showing how IBM’s quantum systems work with AMD technology is planned for later this year. The partners also intend to develop open-source ecosystems, such as Qiskit, to facilitate the creation of algorithms for new hybrid supercomputers.
These activities are part of IBM’s broader strategy, which already includes similar integrations with the Fugaku supercomputer in Japan and collaborations with the likes of Cleveland Clinic and Lockheed Martin.
