The unprecedented capabilities of quantum computing are known, but their practical consequences remain largely unknown. IBM’s newest quantum system, Quantum Eagle, features an IBM Eagle processor running at 127 qubits and promises a significant increase in computing speed.

This surpasses IBM’s previous contribution in 2021, the 27-qubit IBM Q System One deployed at the University of Tokyo’s Kawasaki facility in Tokyo.

Contrary to the classical approach, which suggests that systems containing tens of thousands of physical qubits are needed for practical quantum applications, IBM says that practical value starts with 100 qubits.

But IBM’s claim is backed by claims from scientists who claimed in the summer that a 100-qubit quantum system could offer practical value. The 127-qubit IBM Eagle platform deployed in Japan is positioned as the first practical quantum computer certified by the University of Tokyo and other Japanese partners.

How to use a computer?

The Quantum Eagle platform will be used by the local Quantum Innovation Initiative (QII) consortium, which consists of approximately two dozen educational institutions and companies. The consortium aims to use the quantum system for a variety of tasks, from materials discovery to drug development, as well as applications in finance, physics, chemistry and sociology.

While the cost of implementing quantum computing is significant, IBM expects significant gains in an under-researched field. The deployment of Quantum Eagle in Japan positions IBM as a pioneer in the practical application of quantum systems and offers potential breakthroughs in various fields of science and computing.