International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) has unveiled plans to build Starling, the world's first fault-tolerant quantum computer, expected to go live by 2029 at its new quantum data center in upstate New York.
Unlike today's quantum systems which are hampered by frequent errors Starling will be capable of executing complex quantum operations with stability and accuracy, unlocking powerful applications in fields like drug development, semiconductor design, logistics, and financial risk modeling.
The breakthrough centers on IBM's proprietary qLDPC error correction code, which enables efficient and scalable error correction using fewer qubits than traditional surface codes used by competitors like Google. This advancement will allow IBM to build larger, more powerful quantum systems without sacrificing reliability.
IBM's quantum roadmap outlines a progression of processors over the next several years, all named after birds. These include Quantum Loon in 2025, Quantum Kookaburra in 2026, and Quantum Cockatoo in 2027. The company will also launch Quantum Nighthawk this year as a successor to its current Heron chip.
While Nighthawk initially matches Heron's 5,000 gate capacity, IBM aims to triple this to 15,000 gates by 2028, paving the way for Starling's ability to handle hundreds of millions of gates.
IBM's announcement comes amid heightened activity in the quantum computing space. Google's Willow chip, Microsoft's Majorana 1, and Amazon's Ocelot chip—released within the past year—highlight Big Tech's race to build useful quantum systems.
Unlike conventional computers that use bits, quantum computers use qubits, which can exist in multiple states simultaneously. This enables them to solve certain problems that would take classical computers millennia to complete.
Heather West, an analyst at IDC, called Starling a major leap forward: "We're finally seeing all the incremental breakthroughs coalesce into a scalable, practical quantum system."
As investment in quantum computing accelerates- projected to reach $8.6 billion by 2028—IBM's Starling project positions the company at the forefront of a transformative computing revolution.
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