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IBM has announced a detailed plan to create the world's first large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer by 2029. This system, named IBM Quantum Starling, will be located in a new Quantum Data Center in Poughkeepsie, New York. It is being developed to perform approximately 100 million quantum operations on 200 logical qubits, representing a significant leap, about 20,000 times more powerful than today's leading machines. Logical qubits are fundamental to the construction of error-corrected quantum processors. Each one encodes a single unit of quantum information across several physical qubits that continuously monitor each other for errors. By greatly reducing the error rates of logical qubits through this method, IBM intends to run complex algorithms with high reliability. This will open up new possibilities in fields like drug discovery, materials science, chemistry simulations, and large-scale optimization.
A key feature of Starling's design is its use of quantum low-density parity-check (qLDPC) error-correcting codes. These advanced codes need up to 90 percent fewer physical qubits compared to previous standard methods, which significantly lowers the required resources and infrastructure. IBM's research documents show how it will manage instruction sequencing, operation execution, and the real-time decoding of qubit measurements using conventional electronics like FPGAs or ASICs. IBM's updated Quantum Roadmap outlines several intermediate goals with processors named after birds. In 2025, IBM Quantum Loon will test long-range "C-coupler" interconnects and essential qLDPC components. Following that, in 2026, the modular Kookaburra chip will combine quantum memory with logical processing. In 2027, Cockatoo will connect multiple modules using "L-couplers," simulating the nodes of a larger system.
Each of these releases is designed to confirm a critical aspect of scalability, modularity, and fault tolerance. By 2029, Starling is expected to support 200 logical qubits capable of running 100 million operations. This will create computational states so immense that they would be too much for a quindecillion (10^48) of today's most advanced supercomputers to handle. IBM considers this achievement the turning point for practical, error-corrected quantum advantage.
View at TechPowerUp Main Site | Source
A key feature of Starling's design is its use of quantum low-density parity-check (qLDPC) error-correcting codes. These advanced codes need up to 90 percent fewer physical qubits compared to previous standard methods, which significantly lowers the required resources and infrastructure. IBM's research documents show how it will manage instruction sequencing, operation execution, and the real-time decoding of qubit measurements using conventional electronics like FPGAs or ASICs. IBM's updated Quantum Roadmap outlines several intermediate goals with processors named after birds. In 2025, IBM Quantum Loon will test long-range "C-coupler" interconnects and essential qLDPC components. Following that, in 2026, the modular Kookaburra chip will combine quantum memory with logical processing. In 2027, Cockatoo will connect multiple modules using "L-couplers," simulating the nodes of a larger system.
Each of these releases is designed to confirm a critical aspect of scalability, modularity, and fault tolerance. By 2029, Starling is expected to support 200 logical qubits capable of running 100 million operations. This will create computational states so immense that they would be too much for a quindecillion (10^48) of today's most advanced supercomputers to handle. IBM considers this achievement the turning point for practical, error-corrected quantum advantage.
View at TechPowerUp Main Site | Source
