Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced the release of Ocelot, its inaugural quantum computing chip. This move aligns AWS with its major cloud competitors, Microsoft and Google, both of which have recently introduced their own quantum chips: Majorana and Willow, respectively.
AWS has been investing in the quantum computing sector for some time. In 2019, the company launched Braket, a quantum computing-as-a-service platform, in collaboration with industry leaders such as QuEra and Rigetti. Quantum computing utilizes principles derived from quantum mechanics, employing “quantum bits” (qubits) to execute complex calculations far more efficiently than traditional computers. The potential applications of quantum computing encompass a wide range of fields, including drug discovery, cryptography and security, and artificial intelligence.
A key challenge in advancing quantum computing lies in developing chips that minimize errors. Ocelot was developed in partnership with the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and incorporates two small silicon microchips stacked together. AWS claims that the chip’s design has the potential to reduce the costs associated with error-correction by up to 90%.
“With the recent advancements in quantum research, it is no longer a matter of if, but when practical, fault-tolerant quantum computers will be available for real-world applications,” said Oskar Painter, AWS director of quantum hardware, in a statement.
