IBM and AMD are joining forces to explore what they describe as the next frontier in computing: quantum-centric supercomputing. The two technology leaders announced a collaboration that seeks to combine quantum computing with high-performance computing (HPC) and artificial intelligence acceleration in a hybrid architecture designed to tackle some of the most complex computational challenges of the coming decades.
Quantum computing fundamentally changes how information is represented and processed. Unlike classical bits, which take values of zero or one, qubits exploit the principles of quantum mechanics to hold richer states. This makes them uniquely suited for modeling natural phenomena, such as atomic interactions, that are beyond the reach of conventional supercomputers. By pairing qubits with HPC and AI engines, researchers expect to unlock new approaches to areas ranging from drug and materials discovery to logistics optimization and financial modeling.
IBM Chairman and CEO Arvind Krishna framed the collaboration as essential to surpassing current computational limits. “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.”
AMD’s Chair and CEO Lisa Su emphasized the practical implications for industry. “High-performance computing is the foundation for solving the world’s most important challenges,” she said. “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.
AMD’s CPUs, GPUs, FPGAs
The companies are already planning an initial demonstration later this year to show how IBM’s quantum systems can operate alongside AMD processors and accelerators in a hybrid workflow. Such workflows would assign tasks to the most efficient paradigm: quantum systems simulating molecular behavior, for example, while HPC and AI engines manage large-scale data analysis. AMD’s CPUs, GPUs, and field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) may also help support real-time error correction, an essential component for fault-tolerant quantum computing.
Open-source software is expected to play a critical role in advancing this ecosystem. IBM and AMD plan to build on frameworks such as Qiskit to develop and distribute new algorithms optimized for hybrid architectures. By making these tools widely available, the companies hope to stimulate adoption across industries and accelerate the pace of innovation.
Both firms bring proven track records to the collaboration. IBM has recently linked its IBM Quantum System Two with Fugaku, one of the world’s fastest supercomputers at Japan’s RIKEN research institute, and has ongoing initiatives with organizations such as Cleveland Clinic and Lockheed Martin to explore real-world applications of hybrid computing. AMD, meanwhile, has established itself at the forefront of HPC with its EPYC CPUs and Instinct GPUs powering Frontier and El Capitan, currently the two fastest supercomputers on the TOP500 list, as well as supporting generative AI solutions across major cloud providers.
The vision of quantum-centric supercomputing represents more than just incremental progress. It is an attempt to create an integrated environment where classical and quantum resources work seamlessly, each addressing parts of problems that suit their unique strengths. For enterprises and research institutions grappling with workloads that are increasingly data-intensive and computationally complex, the collaboration between IBM and AMD signals a concerted push to redefine the landscape of computing for the post-exascale era.
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