ITEM: Oxford Quantum Circuits (OQC) is collaborating with Equinix to install a quantum computer inside one of its Tokyo data centers to offer quantum computing as a service (QCaaS).
According to Equinix, OQC is installing its quantum hardware in Equinix’s TY11 Tokyo International Business Exchange (IBX) data center. The idea is that OQC will use the Equinix Fabric on-demand interconnection solution to make its QCaaS offering commercially available to businesses and organizations worldwide.
OQC expects the service to be ready in late 2023.
Everybody wants some quantum
Equinix Fabric enables customers to rapidly build private low-latency connectivity with their enterprise workloads, wherever those workloads happen to sit. Equinix says that once the quantum computer is connected to Equinix Fabric, businesses will be able to access it within their own digital infrastructure as if it is on-prem.
Quantum computing is frequently cited as a game-changer in terms of its ability to crunch huge amounts of data much faster than traditional computers. Equinix says potential apps range from drug discovery and development to risk management, banking and advanced manufacturing.
According to IDC, businesses adopting data-driven business models are increasingly keen to invest in technologies like quantum computing that they believe could take ‘data-to-insights’ to all-new levels. A recent IDC FutureScape report forecasts that by 2026, “95% of companies will invest in compute technologies that deliver faster insights from complex data sets to drive differentiated business outcomes.”
Easy access to resources
On the other hand, while there is still some debate over just how far away we are from seeing commercial applications for quantum computers, one definite hurdle to mass adoption is that that there aren’t that many quantum computers available for sale, and not many organizations that could afford one.
That’s where the ‘as-a-service’ model comes in, says Andrew Buss, senior research director, Europe for Future of Digital Infrastructure at IDC.
“Making quantum computing available as-a-service on a globally interconnected digital infrastructure should significantly reduce barriers to experimentation and adoption such as cost, skills, and the complexity of integration – and open up quantum technology to many more organisations to test and use,” he says.
Meanwhile, what OQC promises to bring to the table is a more reliable quantum computer that more people can use. Its superconducting quantum circuits are designed with a “coaxmon” 3D architecture that it says will allow quantum computers to scale better with fewer errors. OQC also says this enables better performance because the circuits are wired together on two planes rather than one.
You can read more on the Oxford Instruments Nanoscience blog here.
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