New Qubit Paradigms, QAAS, Improved Fidelity: Quantum Hardware in 2024

The quantum industry made significant hardware breakthroughs in 2023, including record-breaking numbers of qubits, improved error correction and cloud access to quantum-as-a-service and hybrid supercomputing platforms.

The race toward quantum supremacy is on and researchers are pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved by working with innovations in qubit technologies, accessibility and optimized integration with classical supercomputers and software.

Enter Quantum has collected quantum hardware predictions from experts to find out what to expect in the coming year and what it means for quantum adopters. 

LightSolver CTO and co-founder Chene Tradonsky

Despite its initial promise, quantum computing has yet to fully materialize as a viable option for businesses to tackle the most pressing business and scientific challenges. While the industry waits for quantum to live up to expectations, we find immense potential in a new way of computing, leveraging lasers. 

Microsoft’s announcement this year about an all-optical computer underscores a growing recognition of this paradigm shift. We firmly believe that laser-based solutions will emerge as promising and viable infrastructure options in the realm of high-performance computing, proving to be the most scalable, reliable and affordable option for the enterprise and will provide groundbreaking solutions to the world's most complex problems.

Related:Legislation, Regulation, Competition: Quantum Computing Policy in 2024

Keysight head of quantum engineering solutions Philip Krantz

The significant cost and resource burden in developing quantum labs will give rise to more quantum-as-a-service (QaaS) providers. Remote cloud access to quantum processors, test beds for device characterization and foundries that offer fabrication services are examples of services that are available which in turn will help attract startups into the quantum ecosystem. QaaS providers, over time, will help standardize device operation, characterization and fabrication, which will enable benchmarking of quantum processors and qubit-adjacent enabling technologies.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory Quantum Science Center director Travis Humble

Moving into 2024, the field of quantum computing has significant momentum in the pace of hardware improvements measured by both quantity (number of qubits) and quality (fidelity and quantum volume). New demonstrations of scientific and commercial applications that use these state-of-the-art systems are expected to continue to grow and make headlines with the breadth and impact of their results.

Additionally, hardware features such as feed-forward and adaptive programming will catalyze new developments in quantum error correction that test the integration of hardware and software systems. Maturing these computational workflows through software and system development also stands to clarify demonstrations of quantum computing beyond purely proof-of-concept settings.