IBM and AMD have announced a partnership to develop next-generation computing architectures that combine quantum computers with high-performance computing. The companies aim to create scalable, open-source platforms by leveraging IBM’s expertise in quantum computing and software, along with AMD’s experience in high-performance computing and AI accelerators.
Quantum computing operates differently from classical computers by using qubits, which can represent information according to the laws of quantum mechanics. This allows for a wider computational space that can be used to solve complex problems beyond the capability of traditional computers, such as those found in drug discovery, materials science, optimization, and logistics.
Arvind Krishna, Chairman and CEO of IBM, said: “Quantum computing will simulate the natural world and represent information in an entirely new way. By exploring how quantum computers from IBM and the advanced high-performance compute technologies of AMD can work together, we will build a powerful hybrid model that pushes past the limits of traditional computing.”
Dr. Lisa Su, Chair and CEO of AMD, stated: “High-performance computing is the foundation for solving the world’s most important challenges. As we partner with IBM to explore the convergence of high-performance computing and quantum technologies, we see tremendous opportunities to accelerate discovery and innovation.”
The planned architecture involves integrating quantum computers with conventional CPUs, GPUs, and other compute engines so that different parts of a problem are addressed by whichever technology is best suited for them. For instance, future systems could use quantum computers for simulating atoms while classical supercomputers process large-scale data analysis using AI.
IBM and AMD are working on ways to integrate AMD’s CPUs, GPUs, and FPGAs with IBM’s quantum systems. This integration could help advance IBM’s goal of delivering fault-tolerant quantum computers within this decade. Real-time error correction—a critical feature for reliable quantum computation—may benefit from AMD technologies.
A demonstration scheduled for later this year will showcase how hybrid workflows between IBM’s quantum systems and AMD hardware might operate. Both companies also plan to investigate how open-source tools like Qiskit could encourage new algorithm development tailored for these hybrid systems.
IBM has previously connected its modular Quantum System Two computer directly with Fugaku—one of the world’s fastest classical supercomputers—through collaboration with RIKEN. Other partnerships include Cleveland Clinic, the Basque Government, and Lockheed Martin to explore combining classical and quantum resources for complex problems not solvable by conventional means alone.
AMD’s CPUs and GPUs currently power some of the world’s leading supercomputers including Frontier at Oak Ridge National Laboratory—the first system ever to break the exascale barrier—and El Capitan at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. According to https://www.top500.org/, these two machines are ranked as the fastest supercomputers globally. Beyond supercomputing applications, AMD technologies also support generative AI solutions used by major enterprises worldwide.
“Quantum computing will simulate the natural world and represent information in an entirely new way,” said Arvind Krishna, Chairman and CEO, IBM. “By exploring how quantum computers from IBM and the advanced high-performance compute technologies of AMD can work together, we will build a powerful hybrid model that pushes past the limits of traditional computing.”
“High-performance computing is the foundation for solving the world’s most important challenges,” said Dr. Lisa Su, Chair and CEO of AMD. “As we partner with IBM to explore the convergence of high-performance computing and quantum technologies, we see tremendous opportunities to accelerate discovery and innovation.”
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