IBM Quantum Starling, the quantum computer 20,000 times more powerful than current computers

IBM announced the development of “Quantum Starling,” a quantum computer that plans to multiply the current capacity of quantum computing by 20,000 times. The company's goal is to deliver the first large-scale, fault-tolerant machine by 2029, capable of solving problems impossible for today's technology.

The Quantum Starling computer will be located in a new data center in Poughkeepsie, New York. To understand its potential: to represent the computational state of a single Starling machine, the memory of more than quindecillion of the world's most powerful supercomputers would be needed.

According to Arvind Krishna, Chairman and CEO of IBM, “our expertise in mathematics, physics, and engineering is paving the way for a large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer that will solve real-world challenges and open up immense possibilities for business.”

How it differs from current quantum computers

Unlike current systems, which operate with limitations in scale and robustness, Starling has been designed to operate fault-tolerantly.

This means it will be able to continue executing complex operations even if errors occur, a key factor in making the technology reliable and useful in real life.

The system will operate using 200 logical qubits (fundamental units of quantum information with error correction) and will be able to execute up to 100 million quantum operations.

Current quantum systems are typically limited to thousands of operations before experiencing failures, so the leap is exponential. This scale will make it possible to tackle problems that are currently completely unattainable for any supercomputer.

What are the concrete benefits of this technology for society

The arrival of a fault-tolerant quantum computer promises to change the way solutions are developed in key areas: from the design and discovery of drugs and new materials to the resolution of large puzzles in logistics and advanced chemistry.

Complex algorithms, which typically require years of computation time even for the most sophisticated supercomputers, could be solved in less time and at a lower cost.

This could translate into the acceleration of vital discoveries, such as new drugs for complex diseases or materials with special properties for industrial, energy, or environmental applications.

Furthermore, areas such as cybersecurity could receive a radical boost with advanced quantum algorithms, which would protect the global computing infrastructure from unprecedented threats.

Why a quantum computer must be fault-tolerant

In quantum computers, the slightest error can drastically alter the outcome of an operation. For this reason, IBM focuses on error correction using logical qubits, which group several physical qubits together to exponentially reduce the error rate as their number increases.

This type of architecture will allow Starling, like its successors, to execute long and complex operations without being interrupted by spontaneous errors.

The ability to detect and correct errors quickly and in real time will be key to using quantum computers in practical work. Therefore, the development of modular systems, where different groups of logical qubits communicate efficiently, is a priority in IBM's plan.

What is the plan to launch this supercomputer to the world

IBM's plan to achieve a large-scale quantum computer involves a roadmap. By 2025, IBM plans to develop Quantum Loon, a processor designed to test advanced architecture components.

Then, in 2026, it will announce Quantum Kookaburra, the first modular processor capable of combining quantum memory and logic, a key step toward true scalability.

In 2027, the architecture will scale further with Quantum Cockatoo, which will connect multiple Kookaburra modules, allowing systems with numerous chips working as interconnected nodes to be built. These advances will lay the necessary foundation for Quantum Starling to become a reality by 2029.

With advances in error correction, system modularity, and the increase in logical qubits, IBM hopes Starling will become the platform for even more powerful future generations, such as Quantum Blue Jay, which promises 1 billion quantum operations across 2,000 logical qubits.