IBM is targeting 'quantum advantage' in 12 months - and says useful quantum computing is just a few years away

""IBM predicts it will reach "quantum advantage" in the next 12 months, meaning the time at which quantum algorithms can begin to complement traditional computing for widespread benefits. The technology giant has been working on quantum computing for decades, but in recent years has signaled that quantum computers that can deliver tangible benefits to businesses are just around the corner.""

"For example, HSBC has partnered with IBM to develop a new machine learning (ML) model for trades, with the intention of improving its margin via better predictions of buying and selling prices. IBM took a year's worth of HSBC's data and applied a quantum algorithm for 'feature selection', a process that highlights the most relevant aspects of a dataset to improve model performance. In tests, IBM and HSBC tracked a 34% increase in successful trades."

"A seismic shift in compute complexity At the center of IBM's latest quantum roadmap is Nighthawk, its new quantum processor which can process up to 120 qubits linked together for a 30% overall increase in complexity. "One of the key factors in getting to quantum advantage and to useful quantum is being able to fit the size of your problem into the capabilities of the machine"

IBM forecasts quantum advantage within the next 12 months and anticipates industry-specific return on investment within three to five years. IBM applied a quantum feature-selection algorithm to a year of HSBC trading data and saw a 34% increase in successful trades during tests, though the model is not yet in production and requires more training. IBM is collaborating across sectors including mRNA vaccines, genomics, surface chemistry, superconducting hardware, farming, life sciences, and electric vehicles. IBM's Nighthawk processor can link up to 120 qubits, yielding a roughly 30% increase in overall problem complexity.

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