Amazon Web Services (AWS) has launched its first quantum computing chip, Ocelot. The news puts it on the same page as large cloud computing rivals Microsoft and Google, which have also launched their own quantum chips in recent months, called Majorana and Willow.
The cloud computing giant has long been investing in quantum computing, starting in 2019 with the launch of Braket quantum computing as a service in partnership with industry companies such as QuEra and Rigetti.
Quantum computing draws on the principles of quantum mechanics and uses "qubits" (qubits) to perform complex calculations faster than traditional computers. Potential applications include drug discovery, cryptography and security, and artificial intelligence.
Currently, one of the key factors in quantum computing is the ability to reduce operational errors, and building such quantum chips will be the core of promoting the development of quantum computing as a whole.
Developed in partnership with Caltech, Ocelot integrates two small silicon microchips stacked on top of each other (pictured above). The company says the chip is designed to reduce costs associated with error correction by up to 90 percent.
"With recent advances in quantum research, it is no longer a question of 'if' when practical fault-tolerant quantum computers will be available for real-world applications," AWS Director of Quantum Hardware Oskar Painter said in a statement.