IBM just unveiled a ‘quantum computing system’ for commercial use

The quantum computing train keeps on rolling. 

A year after IBM showed off a 50-qubit quantum computer prototype at CES, the company has returned to the annual electronics show in Las Vegas, Nevada, with a grand announcement. Namely, that it now has a “quantum computing system” ready for commercial use. 

According to a Jan. 8 press release, the system — dubbed the IBM Q System One — takes quantum computing from the confines of the research lab into the real world. And just what does that mean, exactly? Well, that businesses will be able to pay to use it for commercial applications. 

We reached out to IBM with a host of questions regarding the Q System — like whether IBM intends to make more than one of these systems, and what the pricing structure will be for commercial use — but had yet to receive a response as of press time. However, the aforementioned release does provide some clues as to the Q System’s potential future uses. 

“IBM Q systems are designed to one day tackle problems that are currently seen as too complex and exponential in nature for classical systems to handle,” notes the release. “Future applications of quantum computing may include finding new ways to model financial data and isolating key global risk factors to make better investments, or finding the optimal path across global systems for ultra-efficient logistics and optimizing fleet operations for deliveries.”

But that’s in the future. In the more immediate reality of 2019, IBM still has something in the works. The company intends to open a commercial center for quantum computing clients this year in Poughkeepsie, New York. 

In the meantime, a replica of the system is on display for 2019 CES conference attendees. 

Start saving up those pennies, and you too could one day have access to a quantum computer. Just use it wisely, please. We beg you.