IBM to Build World’s First Large-Scale Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computer

IBM has unveiled its strategy to build the world’s first large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer, setting the stage for practical and scalable quantum computing.

Scheduled for launch by 2029, IBM Quantum Starling will be built at a new IBM Quantum Data Center in Poughkeepsie, New York. It is expected to perform 20,000 times more operations than today’s quantum computers. Representing its computational state would require the memory of over a quindecillion supercomputers — a feat beyond current systems. With Starling, users will fully explore quantum complexity inaccessible by current technologies.

IBM, which operates a global fleet of quantum systems, also released a new Quantum Roadmap outlining its path toward practical, fault-tolerant quantum computing.

“IBM is charting the next frontier in quantum computing,” said Arvind Krishna, Chairman and CEO, IBM. “Our expertise across mathematics, physics, and engineering is paving the way for a large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer — one that will solve real-world challenges and unlock immense possibilities for business.”

What Makes Starling a Game-Changer

A large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer with hundreds or thousands of logical qubits could run hundreds of millions to billions of operations, accelerating innovation in drug discovery, materials science, chemistry, and optimisation.

Starling will execute 100 million quantum operations using 200 logical qubits. It will also form the basis for IBM Quantum Blue Jay, designed to run 1 billion quantum operations with over 2,000 logical qubits.

A logical qubit is a robust unit created from multiple physical qubits to store quantum information while correcting for errors. Logical qubits enable quantum computers to execute high-fidelity computations by exponentially suppressing error rates.

The Path to Large-Scale Fault Tolerance

The cornerstone of IBM’s breakthrough lies in the error-correcting code and the system architecture that supports its scalability.

Previously standard error-correcting codes posed massive engineering hurdles — requiring an unmanageable number of physical qubits and excessive infrastructure. IBM’s architecture is designed to be:

• Fault-tolerant, suppressing errors effectively
• Able to prepare, measure, and apply universal instructions to logical qubits
• Capable of real-time decoding and adaptation
• Modular and efficient, to scale across thousands of logical qubits

IBM introduced two technical papers:

1. The first outlines the use of quantum low-density parity check (qLDPC) codes, which reduce overhead by ~90% compared to previous standards.

2. The second details how to decode physical qubit data efficiently and correct errors in real-time using classical computing.

From Roadmap to Reality

IBM’s updated Quantum Roadmap sets out critical milestones for building scalable, modular, and error-corrected quantum systems:

IBM Quantum Loon (2025): Tests qLDPC components, including long-range “C-couplers”
IBM Quantum Kookaburra (2026): First modular processor integrating memory and logic
IBM Quantum Cockatoo (2027): Connects Kookaburra modules via “L-couplers,” creating node-based scaling

These advances aim to culminate in the realisation of IBM Quantum Starling by 2029 — a pivotal moment in quantum computing’s journey toward solving some of the world’s most complex problems.