• IBM fixes quantum errors on AMD chips.
• Algorithm runs 10× faster, a year early.

Quantum computing may be edging closer to practical use. Following Google’s recent progress, IBM is preparing to announce its own major step.

Google’s researchers recently achieved a world-first by running a verifiable algorithm on its Willow quantum chip – 13,000 times faster than a supercomputer. The algorithm, called Quantum Echo, models a physics experiment known as Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), which studies molecular structures by tracking magnetic spins at the centre of atoms. According to Google, Willow handled the computation far faster than the best classical algorithm on the world’s fastest supercomputers.

What makes the experiment stand out is that it’s verifiable. The results from Willow could be reproduced and checked against conventional algorithms – or even against natural measurements themselves. That level of verification gives the experiment credibility and marks one of the first clear, real-world examples of quantum computing in action.

Now, IBM appears to be taking the next big step. A Reuters report says a team of IBM researchers will publish a paper on Monday, October 27, describing how they performed quantum error correction on standard AMD chips. The breakthrough could help solve one of the biggest problems in quantum computing – making results more reliable.

IBM’s algorithm reportedly runs in real time and performs ten times faster than required when tested on AMD’s FPGA chips. The development is believed to come from IBM’s collaboration with AMD, announced in August – news that briefly sent AMD shares higher.

IBM’s director of research, Jay Gambetta, told Reuters the work was completed a full year ahead of schedule. That progress could help IBM move up the timeline for its large-scale quantum system, Starling, which is currently planned for 2029.

FPGAs, or Field Programmable Gate Arrays, are chips that can be customised through software to run specialised workloads efficiently. While they aren’t as fast as traditional processors for general tasks, they’re ideal for focused computing jobs and are widely used in data centres, embedded systems, and some consumer applications.

The algorithm IBM used is believed to be Relay-BP (Relay Belief Propagation), which the company’s research team first detailed in a paper in June. In August, IBM said it achieved strong results running Relay-BP on FPGAs, describing it as a flexible and compact low-density parity-check (LDPC) method that delivers higher speed and accuracy than other available techniques.

Error correction is key to making quantum computing usable. Quantum machines use qubits that can represent both 0 and 1 at the same time, allowing them to calculate in countless possibilities at once. But this also makes their results fragile – even minor interference can distort outcomes. Making those results stable enough for practical use is one of the field’s biggest challenges.

IBM’s experiment shows that its algorithm can run effectively on AMD chips already common in data centres, without the need for specialised quantum control hardware.

Gambetta said the experiment proves the algorithm “works in the real world” and can run on affordable chips.

“Implementing it, and showing that the implementation is actually 10 times faster than what is needed, is a big deal,” Gambetta told Reuters.

The research points toward a future where hybrid systems combine quantum and classical computing, reducing costs and speeding up development.

IBM is one of several major tech firms, alongside Microsoft and Google, aiming to build quantum computers that can handle practical tasks. The company’s roadmap includes developing its Starling system by 2029, and Gambetta said this latest work brings that goal closer.

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