Quantum computing

Quantum leap: Cisco opens lab and introduces entanglement chip

Cisco has introduced a prototype chip designed to connect quantum computers and has opened a new laboratory in California to drive its ambitions in the emerging field.

The company revealed in a blog post that its quantum network entanglement chip produces pairs of entangled photons, allowing for instantaneous connections across any distance through quantum teleportation.

One of the chip’s key features is its compatibility with existing telecommunications infrastructure. By operating at standard telecom wavelengths, it can utilise current fibre networks, simplifying its potential integration.

Vijoy Pandey, SVP of Cisco’s Outshift innovation incubator, explained that while current quantum processors offer only hundreds of qubits, applications will require millions.

Cisco’s solution is to network smaller quantum computers together, forming larger, distributed systems rather than attempting to build a single large-scale processor.

‘Scaled-out quantum data centres, where processors work together through specialised networking, will be the practical and achievable path forward,’ Pandey said.

Although the chip remains a prototype, Cisco believes quantum processor makers will soon benefit from its networking technologies, which are intended to help scale quantum systems.

The formal launch of the Cisco Quantum Labs facility took place on 6 May. Pandey noted that the company has been working on the core elements of quantum networking for years.

Alongside the entanglement chip, the lab will research other critical components, including distribution protocols, a distributed computing compiler, and a network development kit.

Cisco joins major players such as Google, Amazon, and Microsoft in advancing quantum computing technologies, while Telefonica is building its own research centre to explore the future of the sector.

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Nvidia opens new quantum research centre in Boston

Nvidia has unveiled plans to open the Nvidia Accelerated Quantum Research Center (NVAQC) in Boston, a facility set to bridge quantum computing and AI supercomputing.

Expected to begin operations later this year, the centre aims to accelerate the shift from experimental to practical quantum computing.

Rather than treating quantum hardware as a standalone endeavour, Nvidia intends to integrate it with existing AI-driven systems, believing this combination could unlock solutions to problems unsolvable by today’s machines.

Quantum computing—much like AI in its early stages—fits naturally with Nvidia’s core strength: parallel processing. Instead of continuing to rely on traditional serial computing, the company has long embraced parallelism through its GPU technology and CUDA software platform.

Nvidia’s success in transforming GPUs from graphics engines into tools for scientific and commercial applications began with its bold decision to make CUDA available across all its products, even at the cost of short-term profit margins.

Nvidia now sees quantum error correction as the next major challenge. Current quantum computers, operating with between fifty and one hundred qubits, face a high error rate due to environmental ‘noise.’

Achieving truly useful systems will require a million qubits or more, most of which will be used for error correction. Instead of depending solely on traditional methods, Nvidia plans to use AI to develop scalable solutions capable of correcting errors in real time.

The Boston-based NVAQC will serve as a testing ground for these innovations. Harvard, MIT, and quantum startups like Quantinuum and QuEra will collaborate with Nvidia’s quantum team to train AI models for error correction and test them using Nvidia’s top-tier supercomputers.

By doing so, Nvidia hopes to make quantum computing not just viable, but powerful and practical at scale.

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IBM boosts US manufacturing with $150 billion pledge

IBM has announced a major $150 billion investment in the US over the next five years, with a significant portion earmarked for expanding production of quantum computers and mainframes.

The move follows similar commitments from tech giants like Nvidia and Apple, as industry leaders respond to the Trump administration’s push for increased domestic manufacturing.

Of the total sum, more than $30 billion will be dedicated to scaling up IBM’s US-based manufacturing of quantum systems and mainframes, vital for processing vast data and critical tasks.

IBM, which operates one of the world’s largest quantum computing fleets, stated the investment reflects both technological ambition and a strategic gesture towards current US trade policies.

While the quantum computing field has seen exciting advancements, including new chip generations from rivals like Google, opinions remain divided on when practical applications will emerge.

IBM’s latest investment signals long-term confidence in the technology, even as the company navigates recent challenges, including the cancellation of 15 government contracts during federal cost-cutting efforts.

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MIT researchers boost quantum computing speed

Researchers at MIT have achieved a significant milestone in quantum computing by demonstrating what they say is the strongest nonlinear light-matter coupling ever recorded.

Using a novel superconducting circuit architecture, the team developed a ‘quarton coupler’ that could dramatically boost the speed of quantum operations, making it possible to run processors about ten times faster than previous systems.

The coupler enables far stronger interactions between photons and artificial atoms—key components of quantum systems—which in turn allows for much faster and more accurate measurements of quantum data.

These improvements are crucial for increasing the number of error-correction rounds that can be completed before qubits lose their coherence, a major limitation in current quantum technology.

Faster readout could therefore pave the way toward fault-tolerant quantum computing, where large-scale real-world applications become possible.

Although the technology is not yet ready for commercial deployment, the research team sees this experiment as an essential foundation.

The architecture could eventually be adapted into more complex quantum processors with built-in readout circuits, allowing scientists to perform quantum computations at greater speed and precision.

The work was supported by the Army Research Office, the AWS Center for Quantum Computing, and MIT’s Center for Quantum Engineering.

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IBM commits $150 billion to US tech

IBM has announced a major investment plan worth $150 billion over the next five years to solidify its role as a global leader in advanced computing and quantum technologies.

The move also aims to support US economic growth by expanding local innovation and manufacturing, instead of relying heavily on overseas operations.

Over $30 billion of the funding will be directed towards research and development, helping IBM advance in areas such as mainframe and quantum computer production.

According to CEO Arvind Krishna, this commitment ensures that IBM remains the core hub of the world’s most sophisticated computing and AI capabilities. The company already operates the largest fleet of quantum computing systems and intends to continue building them in the US.

The announcement comes amid a wider shift among major tech firms investing heavily in US-based infrastructure.

Companies like Nvidia and Apple have each pledged massive sums—Nvidia alone is preparing to invest up to $500 billion—in response to President Donald Trump’s call for greater domestic manufacturing through policies like reciprocal tariffs.

By focusing investment at home instead of abroad, IBM joins a growing list of tech leaders aligning with government efforts to revitalise American industry while maintaining their global competitiveness in AI and next-generation computing.

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India seeks tech parity and trade concessions in US pact talks

India is preparing to urge the United States to ease export controls and grant it access to critical technologies under the proposed bilateral trade agreement. India is aiming for treatment similar to that received by key US allies such as Australia, the UK, and Japan.

Sectors including telecom equipment, biotechnology, AI, pharmaceuticals, quantum computing, and semiconductors are expected to be part of India’s demands, sources said.

Alongside tech access, India plans to request duty concessions for its labour-intensive industries. Key sectors like textiles, gems and jewellery, leather goods, garments, plastics, chemicals, shrimp, oil seeds, grapes, and bananas are high on India’s agenda for reduced tariffs.

These sectors are seen as vital to boosting India’s exports and supporting its domestic workforce. The United States, in return, is seeking tariff reductions for its exports of industrial goods, electric vehicles, wines, petrochemical products, dairy items, and agricultural produce such as apples and tree nuts.

Both sides are aiming to strike a mutually beneficial deal, although balancing these competing priorities could present a major challenge in the negotiations.

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Quantum encryption achieves new milestone without cryogenics

Computer scientists at Toshiba Europe have set a new record by distributing quantum encryption keys across 158 miles using standard computer equipment and existing fibre-optic infrastructure.

Instead of relying on expensive cryogenic cooling, which is often required in quantum computing, the team achieved this feat at room temperature, marking a significant breakthrough in the field.

Experts believe this development could lead to the arrival of metropolitan-scale quantum encryption networks within a decade.

David Awschalom, a professor at the University of Chicago, expressed optimism that quantum encryption would soon become commonplace, reflecting a growing confidence in the potential of quantum technologies instead of viewing them as distant possibilities.

Quantum encryption differs sharply from modern encryption, which depends on mathematical algorithms to scramble data. Instead of mathematical calculations, quantum encryption uses the principles of quantum mechanics to secure data through Quantum Key Distribution (QKD).

Thanks to the laws of quantum physics, any attempt to intercept quantum-encrypted data would immediately alert the original sender, offering security that may prove virtually unbreakable.

Until recently, the challenge was distributing quantum keys over long distances because traditional fibre-optic lines distort delicate quantum signals. However, Toshiba’s team found a cost-effective solution using twin-field quantum key distribution (TF-QKD) instead of resorting to expensive new infrastructure.

Their success could pave the way for a quantum internet within decades, transforming what was once considered purely theoretical into a real-world possibility.

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India deepens ties with Finland and Denmark

India is intensifying its strategic ties with Finland and Denmark as part of a broader effort to deepen cooperation with key Nordic countries.

In recent high-level conversations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Finland’s President Alexander Stubb and Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.

These discussions focused on strengthening bilateral relations in advanced technologies such as quantum computing, 5G and 6G, AI, and cybersecurity, instead of limiting collaboration to traditional sectors. Sustainability, mobility, and digital transformation also featured prominently.

Modi and Stubb underlined the importance of India-Finland cooperation within the wider context of EU relations. Both leaders expressed hope for a timely conclusion of an India-EU free trade agreement, a sentiment echoed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

The collaboration aims to bolster efforts in AI for disaster response and climate resilience, secure telecommunications, and semiconductor development, especially given ongoing geopolitical shifts and the impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

In parallel, Modi reaffirmed India’s commitment to the India-Denmark Green Strategic Partnership during talks with Frederiksen.

The alliance prioritises environmentally responsible maritime practices instead of relying on conventional methods, and promotes innovation in green technologies and anti-piracy cooperation.

With the third India-Nordic Summit scheduled for later this year in Norway, the focus will be on expanding trade, climate action, and peace efforts with all five Nordic nations.

Meanwhile, India has overtaken Finland as the ‘World’s Happiest Country’ according to the latest Ipsos survey, with 88% of Indian respondents reporting happiness.

A milestone like this reflects a broader sense of national optimism and self-assurance as India continues to strengthen its global partnerships and expand its strategic influence across key sectors.

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Certified randomness achieved with quantum tech

Quantum researchers from JPMorgan Chase, Quantinuum and others have achieved a major milestone in cybersecurity by generating certified random numbers using a quantum computer.

The team’s work, recently published in Nature, showcases how quantum systems can create randomness that is mathematically proven to be unpredictable—an essential leap forward in securing systems like online banking and digital voting.

Traditional computers rely on pseudo-random algorithms to mimic randomness, which are ultimately deterministic and vulnerable if the algorithm or seed is uncovered.

By contrast, the team used Quantinuum’s 56-qubit trapped-ion quantum processor to produce over 70,000 certified random bits. The process is so complex that replicating it with current supercomputers would be practically impossible.

The results were independently verified, confirming that no algorithm was involved in generating the sequence.

The breakthrough goes beyond theoretical exercises often associated with quantum computing and demonstrates practical, real-world impact in cryptography, where random numbers must be truly unguessable to keep digital systems secure.

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Quantum game shows power of entangled atoms

A team of physicists in collaboration with quantum computing company Quantinuum, has successfully tested a unique quantum game using lasers and atoms which demonstrates how quantum computers can outperform classical machines through a phenomenon known as quantum pseudotelepathy.

Using the Quantinuum System Model H1, researchers manipulated 20 ytterbium atoms arranged in a two-dimensional grid to create a “topological phase”, a highly stable, interconnected pattern of qubits.

These qubits, resistant to interference, enabled players to simulate a cooperative logic game where quantum entanglement allowed them to consistently solve tasks that classical players could not.

Achieving a success rate of around 95%, the study showcases the growing potential of current quantum hardware.

Although not a direct solution to global problems, it marks an important step in proving that quantum devices can already perform certain tasks that classical systems struggle with.

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