Oxford Quantum Circuits has launched the UK鈥檚 first commercially available quantum computing-as-a-service platform.听
Described as听a boost for the听nation鈥檚 ambitions to be a global quantum superpower,听the platform听is now听available in beta to enterprise companies via its private cloud.听
Having听built and launched the UK鈥檚 first superconducting quantum computer in 2018,听OQC听believes it now has the first 鈥榢iller app鈥� in the next generation of computing technology.听
鈥淭he听launch of our听QCaaS听platform is not only a remarkable achievement in the history of Oxford Quantum听Circuits, but听is a significant milestone in unlocking the potential of quantum computing both in the UK and globally,鈥� said Dr Ilana Wisby, the CEO of OQC.听听
鈥淲e听know quantum computing has the power to be revolutionary but for decades this power and potential has been relatively untested and unverified in the real world.听听
鈥淏y making our听QCaaS听platform more widely available to strategic partners and customers, we are offering听the world鈥檚 leading enterprises the chance to demonstrate just how far-reaching quantum will be for their companies and their industries.鈥�听
Strategic partners and customers听will be听able听to experiment with quantum听where it is hoped they will听make breakthrough discoveries听and tackle some of the world鈥檚 most intractable problems.听听
OQC鈥檚听partner, Cambridge Quantum, will be the first to be given access to the private cloud to demonstrate its IronBridge cybersecurity platform, which extracts perfect certified entropy from quantum computers to generate听unhackable听cryptographic keys.听听听
To achieve听this milestone,听Cambridge Quantum will have access to one of OQC’s systems,听鈥楽ophia鈥�, hosted at the company鈥檚 state-of-the-art lab in the UK. The facility, which was built last year amid the global pandemic, is the first听commercial quantum computing laboratory in the country.听
Following听OQC鈥檚 convention of naming its systems after women in STEM, this system is named after Sophia Jex-Blake: a British physician who led the campaign to secure women鈥檚 access to a听University听education when she and six other women, collectively known as the ‘Edinburgh听Seven’, began illegally studying medicine at the University of Edinburgh in 1869.听听
OQC听is now welcoming registrations to its beta list, for sector-leading enterprise customers looking to take advantage of the technical and commercial benefits of quantum computing.听听
Ilyas听Khan, CEO of Cambridge Quantum said:听鈥淲e are excited to be working with OQC on their first commercially available product.听听
鈥淚t has long been recognised that the first听鈥榢iller app鈥櫶齠or quantum computers will be听in the area of听cybersecurity, and we are looking听forward to demonstrating that OQC can generate verifiably quantum cryptographic keys for our IronBridge platform.听
鈥淚lana and her team represent the very best of breed in the hardware sector in the UK and this bold launch of a quantum processor听by a company that has very much been in stealth is a reminder of the depth and diversity of the UK鈥檚 quantum technologies sector.鈥�听
Leading quantum circuits to date have been built in a two-dimensional plane. In 2D, the intricate wiring required听to control and measure the qubits 鈥� the core input-output functionality of the quantum hardware 鈥� quickly becomes a limiting factor as it introduces noise.听听
Noise harms the coherence of the quantum device, which reduces the quality of its output. As the number听of qubits grows, the intricacy of the wiring demands more fabrication steps, increasing error rates and cost.听听
OQC鈥檚听core innovation, the听Coaxmon, solves these challenges using a three-dimensional architecture that moves the control and measurement wiring out of plane and into a 3D configuration. This vastly simplifies fabrication, improving coherence and 鈥� crucially 鈥� boosting听scalability.听
In听the long-term, quantum could have a significant impact on businesses鈥� operations and on our lives, including听pharmaceutical companies being able to look for ways to better predict health conditions, and听identify new molecules; financial institutions getting great insight into their trading and risk management strategies; multinationals experimenting with quantum-enabled fleet logistics to optimise their supply chains听and manufacturing; the advancement of more efficient and powerful energy capture and storage for the future of battery听technology; the听development of more powerful AI algorithms; cryptography and national security.听
Digital听Infrastructure Minister Matt Warman said:听“The UK boasts some of the world’s top innovators and research institutions and this partnership helps reinforce our position as a global leader in quantum computing.听听
鈥淨uantum computing can help tackle some of the world’s听greatest challenges such as climate change, and UK firms can use this cutting-edge service to boost growth and听innovation.”听