IBM on Tuesday shared a comprehensive roadmap to develop a large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer named Quantum Starling.
A key component of the initiative is the upcoming IBM Quantum Nighthawk processor, slated for release later this year, according to a blog post outlining the roadmap.
“Unlocking the full promise of quantum computing will require a device capable of running larger, deeper circuits with hundreds of millions of gates operating on hundreds of qubits, at least,” the company said in the blog post. “More than that, it will require a device capable of correcting errors and preventing them from spreading throughout the system. … It will require a fault-tolerant quantum computer.”
Fault tolerance refers to a system’s ability to detect, correct, and contain errors.
The momentum in quantum computing has picked up speed recently. Google introduced its “Willow” quantum chip in December, followed by Microsoft’s debut of its first chip, Majorana 1, in February. Amazon rolled out its “Ocelot” chip just a week later.
Quantum Starling will be developed at IBM’s Poughkeepsie Lab in New York.
IBM’s roadmap includes a series of bird-themed quantum processors and adapters leading up to 2029. This year, the company will release the Quantum Loon chip, followed by the Quantum Kookaburra processor module in 2026. The Quantum Cockatoo adapter is scheduled for 2027.
The upcoming Nighthawk chip will succeed IBM’s current Quantum Heron processor. While Nighthawk is initially capable of running quantum circuits with 5,000 gates, the company plans to scale it up to 15,000 gates by 2028.
Quantum computing continues to attract attention and funding, with researchers saying it could revolutionize tasks like simulating complex physics and cracking encrypted data faster than today’s classical computer.
IBM said Starling will be “fault tolerant,” meaning it will be capable of running quantum operations for applications like drug discovery, supply chain optimization, semiconductor design, and financial risk analysis—without the errors that currently limit the usefulness of quantum computers compared to traditional systems.
The announcement follows a major milestone for the company: IBM stock hit a record high of $273.27 on Monday. Shares have climbed more than 60% over the past year, significantly outperforming the S&P 500’s (^GSPC) gain of around 12%.
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