{"id":89997,"date":"2025-08-23T12:37:20","date_gmt":"2025-08-23T12:37:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/89997\/"},"modified":"2025-08-23T12:37:20","modified_gmt":"2025-08-23T12:37:20","slug":"quantum-centric-computing-is-already-solving-high-value-chemistry-challenges","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/89997\/","title":{"rendered":"Quantum-centric computing is already solving high-value chemistry challenges"},"content":{"rendered":"

In a landmark milestone, IBM and Japan\u2019s RIKEN Center have simulated the energy states of a complex molecule using 77 qubits\u2014more than ever used before in a real-world quantum chemistry problem. And they didn\u2019t do it with quantum hardware alone.<\/p>\n

By combining the strengths of quantum processors with the brute-force power of classical supercomputers, the team has demonstrated that quantum-centric supercomputing, where CPUs, GPUs, and QPUs operate in concert, can already solve problems once thought to require fully fault-tolerant quantum computers.<\/p>\n

This hybrid approach isn\u2019t just a stepping stone; it may be the model that drives quantum\u2019s most valuable near-term breakthroughs.<\/p>\n

The quantum-classical hybrid approach<\/p>\n

A quantum-classical hybrid approach could be the key to reaping the benefits of quantum computing in its early stages. The IBM and RIKEN teams essentially ran algorithms on high-performance classical computers. They then combined these with quantum algorithms running on quantum computers.<\/p>\n

\u201cQuantum-centric supercomputing is a key and immediate part of our vision for the future of computing,\u201d Antonio Mezzacapo, Principal Research Scientist for Quantum-centric Supercomputing and Applied Quantum Science at IBM, told Interesting Engineering in an interview.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is where quantum processor units or QPUs, like the IBM Quantum Heron \u2014 the world\u2019s most performant quantum chip \u2014 work alongside classical CPUs and GPUs as peers in solving problems,\u201d Mezzacapo continued. \u201cQuantum systems don\u2019t replace classical machines in this setup but rather augment them.\u201d<\/p>\n

To be precise, the teams used an IBM quantum device powered by a Heron quantum processor to simplify the mathematics. RIKEN\u2019s Fugaku supercomputer\u2014the world\u2019s fastest supercomputer until May 2022\u2014 solved the problem. The researchers used 77 qubits (quantum bits), a new record, during the process. Their study<\/a> was published in a recent issue of Science Advances.<\/p>\n

The quantum-classical hybrid approach isn\u2019t just a stopgap. Quantum computing may, in fact, never fully extricate itself from the framework of classical computing methods.<\/p>\n

\"IBM'sIBM\u2019s Quantum System Two at RIKEN. Credit: IBM<\/a><\/p>\n

As Kenneth Merz, a researcher at the Center for Computational Life Sciences at the Cleveland Clinic, who wasn\u2019t involved in the IBM and RIKEN study, points out, \u201cquantum computers are good for some problems \u2014 especially ones that scale exponentially \u2014 while classical computers are good for other applications.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hybrid computing: Where classical methods still have the edge<\/p>\n

Among the many abstract benefits linked to quantum computing over the years is the idea that it replaces classical systems with much more powerful hardware.<\/p>\n

However, it\u2019s important to note that classical computing systems are incredibly efficient and better-suited to certain jobs. For example, classical central processing units (CPUs) are more efficient for data entry and accessing memory than quantum computers. Meanwhile, graphics processing units (GPUs) have been improved over the decades to render incredibly impressive graphics.<\/p>\n

\u201cMuch of the computational sciences on classical devices, and the associated software, has been developed over roughly 50 years to reach the point we are at today,\u201d Merz explained. \u201cThe Quantum computing software stack will take time to develop \u2014maybe not 50 years\u2014 to maximize its utility.\u201d<\/p>\n

Beyond that, quantum computing also has limitations, meaning it must work with classical computing hardware.<\/p>\n

\u201cQuantum computers, or QCs, will likely never be used for word processing or data input, for example \u2014 this will be handled by classical devices,\u201d Merz continued. \u201cThe key for effective use of QC devices is to identify the parts of a problem where the QC can afford the most benefit. Some applications might have exponential improvements and others might only have polynomial speed-ups, but choosing the right aspect of the problem and the quantum algorithm will be key.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tapping into quantum chemistry<\/p>\n

Quantum chemistry aims to leverage the power of quantum computers to simulate electron interactions within molecules. This requires an immense amount of computing power. According to a report<\/a> from Quantum Insider, simulating insulin requires tracking more than 33,000 molecular orbitals. This is beyond the reach of today\u2019s supercomputers.<\/p>\n

Tapping into the potential of quantum computing is all about leveraging that exponential scalability Merz mentioned. However, \u201cthis will take a lot of time and effort to develop algorithms and the associated software,\u201d Merz and his team explained. \u201cCurrently, the hardware stack, in my opinion, is far ahead of the software stack.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a July study<\/a>, Merz and a team at the Cleveland Clinic demonstrated how quantum computers paired with supercomputing hardware can simulate molecules with unprecedented accuracy. The team tested their hybrid computing method on a hydrogen ring of 18 atoms and cyclohexane. Their model correctly predicted the stability of the molecules. It used fewer qubits than would be required on a quantum computer alone.<\/p>\n

\"\"Japan\u2019s Fugaku supercomputer was paired with IBM\u2019s Heron quantum processor to simulate complex iron\u2013sulfur clusters. Credit: Riken<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cQuantum computing has a bit of a bad rap since much has been promised for many years,\u201d Merz told IE. \u201cBut we are just getting to an interesting stage in the hardware space that allows us to start trying out quantum algorithms to determine their strengths and weaknesses for future \u201cnoiseless\u201d hardware stacks that many companies are planning to deliver in the next 3-5 years. To me, it is an exciting time in this field where the landscape will change very rapidly with new hardware and software innovations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Modeling iron\u2013sulfur clusters shows hybrid computing\u2019s potential<\/p>\n

Researchers are increasingly seeing today that some of the early promises linked to fault-tolerant quantum computers are achievable using this quantum-classical hybrid approach.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt IBM, we\u2019re starting to directly link quantum computers like our IBM Quantum System Two to classical high-performance computers like RIKEN\u2019s Fugaku supercomputer in Kobe, Japan,\u201d Mezzacapo said, describing his team\u2019s approach. \u201cThis allows us to approach complex computational problems in new and exciting ways, where a resource orchestration management system can break down computational problems across CPUs, GPUs, and QPUs, with each technology tackling workloads it\u2019s best-suited for.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWithin this quantum-centric supercomputing framework, we are addressing \u2014 for the first time \u2014 chemistry problems that were believed to require fault-tolerant quantum computers,\u201d he continued. \u201cMuch of our latest and leading research explores methods that can take advantage of this hybrid model as we push toward achieving quantum advantage with our clients.<\/p>\n

In their study, the IBM and RIKEN team used quantum computing to investigate an iron-sulfur system. The system, the [4Fe-4S] molecular cluster, is an important component of many biological reactions. One example is its important role in the enzyme nitrogenase, which converts atmospheric nitrogen gas into ammonia, making it possible for plants to grow.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur hybrid approach with RIKEN has already enabled detailed modeling of complex iron-sulfur clusters, which are critical to understanding biological and industrial chemistry,\u201d Mezzacapo explained.<\/p>\n

Overcoming quantum computing\u2019s biggest challenges<\/p>\n

While IBM pushes the boundaries of what\u2019s possible with quantum computing, obstacles remain. \u201cUsing 77 qubits to simulate realistic chemistry is a significant milestone, but it\u2019s not without challenges,\u201d Mezzacapo told IE. \u201cThe biggest limitation today, as with all approaches to quantum computing, is noise: Quantum hardware still has errors that need to be mitigated through performant hardware, well-designed algorithms, and post-processing with classical computers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis limits in how long and deep quantum circuits can be before errors accumulate, which in turn puts bounds on computational space you can explore and results you can achieve,\u201d he continued. \u201cOur goal is to correct such errors at scale with Starling and deploy it for use by clients in 2029.\u201d<\/p>\n

Starling will be 20,000 times faster than today\u2019s quantum computers, thanks largely to its fault-tolerant architecture. Starling will reduce error correction overhead by roughly 90%, requiring fewer physical qubits for robust logical qubits. Overall, Starling will have 200 logical qubits, each made of many physical qubits. Mezzacapo says it will \u201creliably run hundreds of millions to billions of quantum operations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ultimately, such hardware advances will allow researchers further to push the combination of classical and quantum hardware. \u201cSuch collaborative work might eventually help accelerate the discovery of new catalysts, materials for energy storage, or molecules that improve crop efficiency, to name a few examples,\u201d Mezzacapo explained. \u201cIn short, the combination of quantum and classical compute is allowing us to model the behavior of molecules with greater accuracy than ever before, build large-scale fault-tolerant quantum computers like IBM Quantum Starling, and explore more complex problems across agriculture, pharmaceuticals, energy, and beyond.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In a landmark milestone, IBM and Japan\u2019s RIKEN Center have simulated the energy states of a complex molecule…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":89998,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[64,63,257,296,2292,105],"class_list":{"0":"post-89997","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-computing","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-computing","11":"tag-quantum-computers","12":"tag-quantum-computing","13":"tag-technology"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89997","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=89997"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89997\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/89998"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=89997"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=89997"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=89997"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}