IBM and Cisco announced plans to collaborate on distributed quantum computing, a move they say could lay the foundation for a quantum internet by the early 2030s. The partnership brings together IBM’s roadmap for fault‑tolerant quantum computers and Cisco’s expertise in quantum networking, with the goal of linking multiple machines to scale computational power beyond what a single device can achieve.
The companies said they aim to demonstrate a proof‑of‑concept by 2030 that connects separate quantum computers into a network capable of running computations across tens of thousands of qubits. Such a system could support workloads involving trillions of quantum gates — the entangling operations at the heart of quantum algorithms — opening possibilities in optimization, materials science, and drug discovery.
To achieve this, IBM plans to develop a quantum networking unit (QNU) that can convert stationary quantum information inside a quantum processing unit (QPU) into “flying” qubits suitable for transmission. Cisco, meanwhile, is working on a quantum data center architecture designed to preserve fragile quantum states, distribute entanglement resources, and synchronize operations with sub‑nanosecond precision. The company is also developing high‑speed software protocols to dynamically reconfigure network paths, ensuring entanglements can be delivered on demand to QNUs as computations progress.
Both firms acknowledged that scaling beyond two closely located quantum computers will require new technologies, including microwave‑optical transducers to transmit qubits over longer distances between buildings or data centers. IBM and Cisco said they will explore how such hardware, combined with open‑source software, could form a bridge linking multiple QPUs within and eventually across data centers.
The collaboration also includes co‑funding academic research to advance the broader quantum ecosystem. IBM is working with the Superconducting Quantum Materials and Systems Center (SQMS), led by Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, to investigate how many QNUs could be deployed in quantum data centers, with a demonstration of multiple connected QPUs expected within three years.
Longer term, the companies envision a distributed quantum network evolving into a quantum internet by the late 2030s. Such an infrastructure could connect quantum computers, sensors, and communication systems across metropolitan and global scales, enabling applications ranging from ultra‑secure communications to advanced monitoring of climate and seismic activity.
