NVIDIA Unveils Quantum Research Center to Advance Quantum Computing Innovation

12:04 pm UTC March 22, 2025 Mar 22, 2025 | by: NVIDIA | Electrical engineering

(Photo by: NVIDIA)

The newly launched NVIDIA Accelerated Quantum Research Center (NVAQC) in Boston provides cutting-edge tools aimed at overcoming the most significant hurdles in quantum computing.

Quantum computing is steadily advancing, and its integration with AI supercomputers will pave the way for quantum-accelerated systems capable of solving some of the world's most complex challenges. A key step towards achieving this future is incorporating quantum processing units (QPUs) into AI supercomputing systems to drive innovation in quantum error correction, hardware development, and control systems.

Today, at the NVIDIA GTC global AI conference, NVIDIA announced the launch of the NVIDIA Accelerated Quantum Research Center (NVAQC) in Boston. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including the NVIDIA GB200 NVL72 system and the Quantum-2 InfiniBand networking platform, the facility will feature a supercomputer powered by 576 NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs dedicated to quantum research.

“The NVAQC offers essential tools for scaling quantum computing to the next generation of devices,” stated Tim Costa, Senior Director of Computer-Aided Engineering, Quantum, and CUDA-X at NVIDIA. “This center will enable large-scale quantum algorithm simulations, tight integration of quantum processors, and AI model training and deployment for quantum advancements.”

Collaboration partners, including Quantina, QuEra, and Quantum Machines, and academic institutions, such as the Harvard Quantum Initiative and MIT’s Engineering Quantum Systems group, will collaborate with NVIDIA to explore how AI supercomputing can accelerate progress in quantum computing.

William Oliver, professor of electrical engineering and physics at MIT and director of the MIT Center for Quantum Engineering, added, “NVAQC will play a key role in advancing research across the quantum ecosystem, and NVIDIA’s collaboration is vital for bringing useful quantum computing to reality.”

Addressing Quantum Computing Challenges

Qubit interactions pose one of the major challenges in quantum computing. Qubits need to interact with their environment to function, but they are also susceptible to noise, which disrupts calculations. Quantum error correction helps mitigate this by encoding noiseless qubits within noisy ones. Decoding these errors requires powerful computing resources within narrow time frames, a problem the NVAQC aims to solve using AI-accelerated supercomputing.

At the center, QuEra will collaborate with NVIDIA to develop new quantum error correction codes using advanced simulations. The goal is to find improved solutions that enhance the reliability of quantum computations.

Mikhail Lukin, co-director of the Harvard Quantum Initiative, highlighted the center's importance: “NVAQC will be crucial in discovering and refining quantum error correction codes that can push the industry closer to useful quantum computing.”

Hybrid Quantum-Classical Computing

Most quantum algorithms rely on a combination of classical and quantum computing, necessitating an integrated quantum supercomputer. The NVAQC will provide the infrastructure for researching and optimizing these hybrid systems. In collaboration with NVIDIA, Quantum will continue integrating its quantum systems with NVIDIA’s CUDA-Q platform, enabling users to access powerful quantum hardware for accelerated algorithm development.

Rajeeb Hazra, CEO of Quantum, expressed excitement about the partnership: “By combining Quantum’s quantum systems with NVIDIA’s AI-accelerated computing, we’re pushing the limits of hybrid quantum-classical computing.”

Advancing QPU Integration

One of the biggest challenges in quantum hardware is ensuring efficient data transfer between quantum processors and classical supercomputers. At NVAQC, Quantum Machines and NVIDIA will collaborate on developing new controller technologies that support high-bandwidth, low-latency connections between quantum and classical hardware.

Quantum Machines CEO Itamar Sivan emphasized the significance of NVIDIA’s role, stating, “NVIDIA’s growing commitment to realizing useful quantum computing provides researchers with the most advanced infrastructure for quantum-classical integration.”

Building on technologies like NVIDIA DGX Quantum and the CUDA-Q platform, NVAQC is set to become a hub for breakthroughs in quantum computing, laying the foundation for qubits to evolve into transformative quantum systems.