IBM and AMD partner on quantum computing with end-of-decade goal
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IBM and AMD have agreed to collaborate on quantum computing, creating a powerful tech duo amid growing optimism that the technology will have real-world implications sooner rather than later.
Why it matters: Quantum computing could have huge implications for everything from drug discovery, to financial modeling, to AI development.
Driving the news: IBM and AMD said Tuesday that they're teaming up to "develop next-generation computing architectures based on the combination of quantum computers and high-performance computing."
- IBM quantum VP Jay Gambetta said in an interview with Axios that the the goal is "quantum-centric supercomputing."
- "High-performance computing is the foundation for solving the world's most important challenges," AMD CEO Lisa Su said in a statement.
Zoom in: The partners will explore ways to integrate AMD's technology — such as its computer and graphics processors — into IBM systems to identify new algorithms that "are outside the current reach of either paradigm working independently."
- "I want to get fault-tolerant quantum computers working by the end of this decade," Gambetta told Axios.
The intrigue: The partnership comes after Jensen Huang, CEO of AMD rival Nvidia, expressed skepticism about the timeline for "very useful" quantum computers earlier this year, saying it was probably 20 years away.
- He later backed off his initial comments — which had sent quantum stocks plunging — and said he sees the industry hitting "an inflection point."
What they're saying: IBM CEO Arvind Krishna told Axios in an interview in July that Huang's comments show that "it's top of mind" and thus "probably not 20 years away."
- "Otherwise, why is he even talking about it?" Krishna said on the sidelines of the Global Quantum Forum in Chicago. "We are not the only ones who see it as important. Many do."
How it works: Gambetta declined to reveal details about the financial nature of the IBM-AMD arrangement, saying only that "we both intend to make money."
