February 27, 2025
Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced Ocelot, its first-generation quantum computing chip, marking the company’s entry into the competitive field of quantum computing. The new chip, developed by the AWS Center for Quantum Computing at the California Institute of Technology, aims to significantly reduce the expenses associated with implementing quantum error correction, potentially by as much as 90 percent.
Unlike traditional computers that use bits representing 0s or 1s, quantum computers use qubits, which can exist in multiple states at the same time. This capability allows for the potential to solve complex problems much faster than standard computers. The promise of quantum research has spurred substantial investment from both the United States and China, with the U.S. also implementing export restrictions on the sensitive technology.
Microsoft recently unveiled its own quantum chip, predicting its potential to revolutionize fields ranging from medicine to pollution control. Google also revealed its Willow quantum chip in December, claiming it dramatically reduced computing errors and performed a complex calculation in minutes that would have taken a traditional supercomputer millions of years.
“We believe that if we’re going to make practical quantum computers, quantum error correction needs to come first. That’s what we’ve done with Ocelot,” said Oskar Painter, AWS head of quantum hardware.
A significant challenge in quantum computing comes from the sensitivity of qubits to environmental disturbances, such as vibrations, heat, and electromagnetic interference, all of which can lead to computational errors. The Ocelot chip addresses this issue with an innovative design that AWS projects could reduce the resources required for quantum error correction by five to ten times compared to existing methods. Researchers at AWS have detailed their findings in the journal Nature.
“We’re sort of in the vacuum tube days right now with quantum computing—making these massive machines and trying to figure out how to get better, smaller, more resource-efficient components to scale them more effectively,” Painter explained.
Although still a laboratory prototype, AWS views Ocelot as a crucial step toward the development of quantum computers capable of solving problems that surpass the capabilities of conventional computers. The company plans to continue refining its design through ongoing research and development.
More information:
Harald Putterman et al, Hardware-efficient quantum error correction via concatenated bosonic qubits, Nature (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-08642-7
