International Business Machines (IBM) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) are joining forces and announced a partnership to build what they call quantum-centric supercomputing systems. These platforms will join IBM’s quantum computers with AMD’s high-performance CPUs, GPUs, and AI accelerators. The companies said the approach will blend quantum and classical computing in one hybrid setup.
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Blending Quantum Power with Classical Strength
Quantum computing uses qubits, which can represent more than the two states of a classical bit. This allows quantum machines to handle problems that traditional systems cannot, as it collapses an infinite number of possibilities into a single definitive solution. However, IBM and AMD aim to combine strengths rather than replace one technology with another. According to the announcement, quantum processors could simulate atoms and molecules while classical supercomputers handle large-scale data tasks.
Furthermore, the plan includes developing open-source software that supports these hybrid workflows. IBM’s Qiskit platform will be part of that effort. AMD and IBM said they expect to demonstrate an initial use case later this year. The companies also intend to explore real-time error correction, which is vital for building fault-tolerant quantum systems, to ensure the definitive solution is the correct one. Their shared goal is to reach this milestone by the end of the decade.
IBM has been working toward this vision through other collaborations. For example, the company linked its modular quantum system with Fugaku, one of the fastest classical supercomputers, in partnership with RIKEN. AMD, on the other hand, brings experience from powering the top two systems on the TOP500 list, Frontier and El Capitan. Both supercomputers run on AMD EPYC CPUs and AMD Instinct GPUs, showing the company’s influence in high-performance computing.
We used TipRanks’ Comparison Tool to put IBM and AMD side by side, giving a clear view of both stocks and their fundamentals.
Last Word
For investors, this move highlights IBM’s focus on quantum services and AMD’s push beyond CPUs and GPUs into advanced computing. While revenue from quantum remains small today, the technology is seen as a future driver for industries such as drug discovery, logistics, and materials research. If IBM and AMD succeed in creating scalable hybrid systems, they could open a new market segment where both firms already hold strong technical positions.