Many organizations are paving the road to a future built on quantum computing, and that future is a promising one. With quantum computers at our fingertips, humanity will be able to solve hugely complex problems at scale and faster than ever.
However, getting to that future has a significant amount of roadblocks to overcome first before quantum computing becomes widely available. Many companies — of all sizes — are actively developing and building quantum computers and capabilities.
Companies building quantum computers
As quantum computing continues to develop and undergo research, companies are building quantum capabilities in both hardware and software. Companies in this list are developing quantum capabilities in various ways, including infrastructure, algorithms and development environments for testing.
While this list is not exhaustive, here are some of the companies building quantum computers.
Amazon
Amazon is a more recent player joining the race to build a quantum computer. In 2021, Amazon announced the opening of the AWS Center for Quantum Computing in Pasadena, Calif. It has partnered with the California Institute of Technology to foster the next generation of quantum scientists and fuel their efforts to build a fault-tolerant quantum computer.
In addition to these efforts, Amazon offers a quantum computing service called Amazon Braket, which provides developers access to quantum computers and tools from third-party partners. This service enables customers to speed up their own quantum computing research, build quantum projects and run quantum algorithms.
D-Wave Systems
D-Wave Systems, a Canada-based company, is the world’s first organization to sell a commercial quantum computer. Its latest, the D-Wave Advantage system, features a processor architecture with more than 5,000 qubits and 15-way qubit connectivity.
D-Wave’s quantum computers use a process called quantum annealing. This process is specifically designed for optimization, so when users map a problem into a search, the processing unit considers all possibilities simultaneously and presents calculations that correspond to the optimal configurations of qubits found. These values are the best possible outcomes, resulting in higher-quality results at scale.
D-Wave is currently developing an incremental follow-up to the Advantage system. In addition to hardware, the company offers a cloud-based full stack of systems to enable enterprises, government agencies, national laboratories and academic organizations to build quantum applications.
Google
Google’s Quantum AI lab has been developing a programmable superconducting processor. A recent iteration is Sycamore, a 54-qubit processor composed of high-fidelity quantum logic gates.
In 2019, Google claimed Sycamore had achieved quantum supremacy. Quantum supremacy is the point at which a quantum device can solve a problem exponentially faster than a classical processor. In this case, Sycamore took about 200 seconds to sample one instance of a quantum circuit 1 million times — something that would have taken a classical supercomputer nearly 10,000 years to do.
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Since then, Sycamore has been used to run chemical simulations, wormhole simulations and more. Google has also developed a software stack of open source tools and a quantum computing service to develop novel quantum algorithms. Its research team is continuing to push innovation in quantum computing, from hardware control systems and quantum control to physics modeling and quantum error correction.
IBM
In November 2022, IBM held the Quantum Summit, where it unveiled a development roadmap detailing its plans and timeline for progressing quantum computing through 2025. Its primary goal is to go beyond using single processors, and by 2025, it plans to combine multichip processors into what it has named the Kookaburra processor. Compared to IBM’s latest processor, Osprey, which has 433 qubits, IBM plans for the multichip Kookaburra processor to have 4,158 qubits.
These plans are ambitious, but IBM has a strong history in quantum development. In 2019, it launched a commercial quantum computer, the IBM Quantum System One. It’s currently developing the IBM Quantum System Two to better serve Osprey and future quantum processors.
In addition to hardware, IBM runs a suite of cloud-based quantum systems, providing researchers, organizations and developers with access to various services and resources, including IBM Quantum Composer, IBM Quantum Lab and Qiskit, an open source SDK for quantum computers. This platform has both public and premium tiers for users to develop, test and run quantum projects.
IonQ
IonQ’s quantum computers use trapped-ion technology. Most quantum hardware uses synthetic quantum systems for its qubits, but IonQ uses naturally occurring individual atomic ions at the core of its processing units. These ions are trapped in a 3D space, and IonQ uses lasers to help prepare and perform the calculations.
IonQ has three quantum systems: IonQ Harmony, an 11-qubit system that launched in 2020; IonQ Aria, a 25-qubit system that launched in 2022; and IonQ Forte, a 32-qubit system that’s currently under development and in beta testing with researchers. All are based on IonQ’s trapped-ion technology architecture, and Harmony and Aria are available through IonQ Quantum Cloud or Amazon Braket.
Microsoft
Microsoft is currently developing its own scalable, full-stack quantum machine with a unique approach that’s focused on topological qubits. The research team at Microsoft has invented a control chip, called Gooseberry, and a cryo-compute core that are key to this approach.
In short, the chip and core work together to maintain a stable cold environment that enables the quantum stack to send and receive information to and from every qubit. Achieving this task is no simple feat; however, if Microsoft can pull it off, it will result in a highly scalable quantum computer that can support even larger, more complex applications.
While development is still ongoing for this hardware, Microsoft also offers a portfolio of quantum computers from other hardware providers as part of its Azure Quantum platform. This service provides an open development environment for researchers, businesses and developers that enables the flexibility to tune algorithms and explore today’s quantum systems.
QCI
Quantum Computing Inc. (QCI) is a full-stack quantum company that claims to be committed to democratizing access to quantum value. Rather than building quantum computing services for the largest of enterprises, QCI’s offerings are more affordable and can be used by non-quantum experts.
From a hardware perspective, QCI has built the Entropy Quantum Computer (EQC), which aims to create useful qubits to perform computations today rather than 10 years in the future. Organizations can use an EQC through a two-tier subscription service: Dirac-1, a qubit-based system, and Dirac-2, a qudit-based system.
QCI also offers Qatalyst, a cloud-based service that enables end users to solve problems on quantum systems without requiring complex programming knowledge. In line with this is its QUBT University, which helps users learn about quantum algorithms and how to run computations. QCI is currently developing new quantum computing chip capabilities.
Quantinuum
In 2021, Honeywell Quantum Solutions and Cambridge Quantum announced a merger, forming Quantinuum. The merger brought together Cambridge Quantum, a developer of quantum software, and Honeywell Quantum Solutions, which builds quantum hardware based on trapped-ion technologies.
Honeywell’s quantum computer, the System Model H1, has achieved the highest quantum volume measurement — 32,768 — in the history of quantum computing. This hardware pairs with Cambridge Quantum’s software package, which applies quantum computing to solve complex problems across industries, from pharmaceuticals to specialty chemicals and beyond.
Rigetti Computing
Rigetti Computing is an integrated systems company that builds quantum computers and superconducting quantum processors. Its most recent processor, the Aspen-M-3, has 80 qubits and is based on multichip technology. Its quantum processors are universal, gate-model machines.
Rigetti is currently developing a new 84-qubit processor called Ankaa, and the plan is to put four of these processors together to form a 336-qubit machine named Lyra. Its roadmap includes building an even larger machine that can support 1,000 qubits in 2025 and one with 4,000 qubits in 2027.
Users can access Rigetti’s quantum computing systems through its Quantum Cloud Services platform or Amazon Braket. The cloud platform enables coders to write quantum algorithms for simulations of their quantum chips.
Xanadu
Xanadu Quantum Technologies is a Canada-based company that’s taking a photonic approach to building quantum computers.
Xanadu’s Borealis, one of the largest photonic quantum computers every built, uses photonics and quantum light sources that emit squeezed-light pulses. The Borealis features more than 216 squeezed-state qubits and is particularly effective at solving Gaussian boson sampling problems — something that would take classical computers thousands of years to do.
Xanadu also leads the development of PennyLane, an open source software library for quantum computing and application development. Organizations can access Borealis through Xanadu Cloud or Amazon Braket.
The federal government is ordering the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform, but stopped short of ordering people to stay off the app.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced the government’s “wind up” demand Wednesday, saying it is meant to address “risks” related to ByteDance Ltd.’s establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc.
“The decision was based on the information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners,” he said in a statement.
The announcement added that the government is not blocking Canadians’ access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content.
However, it urged people to “adopt good cybersecurity practices and assess the possible risks of using social media platforms and applications, including how their information is likely to be protected, managed, used and shared by foreign actors, as well as to be aware of which country’s laws apply.”
Champagne’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment seeking details about what evidence led to the government’s dissolution demand, how long ByteDance has to comply and why the app is not being banned.
A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the shutdown of its Canadian offices will mean the loss of hundreds of well-paying local jobs.
“We will challenge this order in court,” the spokesperson said.
“The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests and for businesses to thrive.”
The federal Liberals ordered a national security review of TikTok in September 2023, but it was not public knowledge until The Canadian Press reported in March that it was investigating the company.
At the time, it said the review was based on the expansion of a business, which it said constituted the establishment of a new Canadian entity. It declined to provide any further details about what expansion it was reviewing.
A government database showed a notification of new business from TikTok in June 2023. It said Network Sense Ventures Ltd. in Toronto and Vancouver would engage in “marketing, advertising, and content/creator development activities in relation to the use of the TikTok app in Canada.”
Even before the review, ByteDance and TikTok were lightning rod for privacy and safety concerns because Chinese national security laws compel organizations in the country to assist with intelligence gathering.
Such concerns led the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a bill in March designed to ban TikTok unless its China-based owner sells its stake in the business.
Champagne’s office has maintained Canada’s review was not related to the U.S. bill, which has yet to pass.
Canada’s review was carried out through the Investment Canada Act, which allows the government to investigate any foreign investment with potential to might harm national security.
While cabinet can make investors sell parts of the business or shares, Champagne has said the act doesn’t allow him to disclose details of the review.
Wednesday’s dissolution order was made in accordance with the act.
The federal government banned TikTok from its mobile devices in February 2023 following the launch of an investigation into the company by federal and provincial privacy commissioners.
— With files from Anja Karadeglija in Ottawa
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.
LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?
It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.
Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:
Apple
The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.
For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.
You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.
Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.
Google
Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.
When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.
You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.
There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.
Facebook and Instagram
Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.
When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.
The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.
You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.
TikTok
The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.
Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.
X
It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.
Passwords
Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?
Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.
But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.
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LONDON (AP) — Britain’s competition watchdog said Thursday it’s opening a formal investigation into Google’s partnership with artificial intelligence startup Anthropic.
The Competition and Markets Authority said it has “sufficient information” to launch an initial probe after it sought input earlier this year on whether the deal would stifle competition.
The CMA has until Dec. 19 to decide whether to approve the deal or escalate its investigation.
“Google is committed to building the most open and innovative AI ecosystem in the world,” the company said. “Anthropic is free to use multiple cloud providers and does, and we don’t demand exclusive tech rights.”
San Francisco-based Anthropic was founded in 2021 by siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei, who previously worked at ChatGPT maker OpenAI. The company has focused on increasing the safety and reliability of AI models. Google reportedly agreed last year to make a multibillion-dollar investment in Anthropic, which has a popular chatbot named Claude.
Anthropic said it’s cooperating with the regulator and will provide “the complete picture about Google’s investment and our commercial collaboration.”
“We are an independent company and none of our strategic partnerships or investor relationships diminish the independence of our corporate governance or our freedom to partner with others,” it said in a statement.
The U.K. regulator has been scrutinizing a raft of AI deals as investment money floods into the industry to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom. Last month it cleared Anthropic’s $4 billion deal with Amazon and it has also signed off on Microsoft’s deals with two other AI startups, Inflection and Mistral.
