Technology

IBM unveils new 'Quantum Nighthawk' 120-qubit processor and software stack — company on track for 2029 fault-tolerance milestone

Source

Tom's Hardware

Published

Nov 13, 2025

TL;DR

AI Generated

IBM has introduced its new Quantum Nighthawk 120-qubit processor and software stack at the Quantum Developer Conference, aiming to advance quantum computing capabilities. The Nighthawk chip features a dense square lattice design with increased qubit connectivity, enabling more complex algorithmic workloads. IBM is on track to achieve a verified quantum advantage by the end of 2026, with plans for further performance gains and fault-tolerant systems by 2029. The company's Qiskit software stack has also been enhanced to support dynamic circuits and error mitigation techniques, showcasing IBM's comprehensive approach to quantum computing development.

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Microsoft announces Majorana 2 quantum computing chip — claims a practical machine will come in 2029

Microsoft unveiled its Majorana 2 quantum computing chip at its Build conference, boasting significant improvements over its predecessor, Majorana 1. The new chip features more stable qubits shielded from cosmic disturbances, with a mean lifetime of 20 seconds and 1,000 times more reliability. Microsoft aims to deliver a practical quantum computer by 2029, accelerating its roadmap due to the chip's advancements. The company's Discovery agentic AI and local app used in creating the chip are also set for general release.

Tom's Hardware•

1 week ago

Negative time experiment clears peer review as photons appear to leave an atom cloud before entering — groundbreaking quantum 'negative time' proven after 1 million test runs

A University of Toronto experiment demonstrating that photons can spend a negative amount of time inside a cloud of atoms has passed peer review and been published in Physical Review Letters. Led by Aephraim Steinberg, the research found that photons can appear to exit a cloud of rubidium atoms before entering it, with the atoms reporting the same negative time when probed. The study, conducted over 70 hours with 1 million test runs, showed that the effect is explained by standard physics and does not involve faster-than-light signaling. While this discovery showcases an unexpected quantum property, it does not suggest the possibility of time travel or immediate practical applications. Future research will focus on measuring the positive excitation time of scattered photons that do not pass through the atom cloud.

Tom's Hardware•

2 weeks ago

US's big bet on quantum computing may not be entirely legal

The US government's $2 billion investment in quantum computing companies, with $100 million allocated to various startups, is facing legal scrutiny from Congress. The funding was intended for public research in semiconductors, not equity deals with private companies. A new company, Anderon, backed by IBM and government funding, will focus on fabricating quantum processing units for IBM and other firms. Representative Zoe Lofgren criticized the use of funds from the CHIPS and Science Act for quantum computing, arguing that it deviates from the intended purpose of supporting semiconductor technology research. She raised concerns about the legality and transparency of the deals, emphasizing the need for proper allocation of government funds by Congress.

Ars Technica•

3 weeks ago

US government takes $2 billion equity stake in nine quantum computing firms

The US government is investing $2 billion in equity stakes in nine quantum computing companies, including IBM and GlobalFoundries, causing shares in these companies to surge. Among the recipients is PsiQuantum, which received $100 million and has ties to a venture capital firm involving Donald Trump Jr. D-Wave Quantum, led by a Pentagon official, also saw a significant increase in value. The investment aims to advance American innovation in quantum computing, according to US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick.

Ars Technica•

3 weeks ago

Microsoft announces Majorana 2 quantum computing chip — claims a practical machine will come in 2029

Tom's Hardware•

1 week ago

Negative time experiment clears peer review as photons appear to leave an atom cloud before entering — groundbreaking quantum 'negative time' proven after 1 million test runs

Tom's Hardware•

2 weeks ago

US's big bet on quantum computing may not be entirely legal

Ars Technica•

3 weeks ago

US government takes $2 billion equity stake in nine quantum computing firms

Ars Technica•

3 weeks ago

IBM unveils new 'Quantum Nighthawk' 120-qubit processor and software stack — company on track for 2029 fault-tolerance milestone

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IBM unveils new 'Quantum Nighthawk' 120-qubit processor and software stack — company on track for 2029 fault-tolerance milestone

TL;DR

Similar Articles

Microsoft announces Majorana 2 quantum computing chip — claims a practical machine will come in 2029

Negative time experiment clears peer review as photons appear to leave an atom cloud before entering — groundbreaking quantum 'negative time' proven after 1 million test runs

US's big bet on quantum computing may not be entirely legal

US government takes $2 billion equity stake in nine quantum computing firms