Canadian company D-Wave announced the launch of its sixth generation quantum computer, the Advantage2. Available to users in 42 countries through the cloud service of LEAP, the Advantage2 offers over 4400 cubes, a 20-fold increase in connectivity, and notable improvements in accuracy and speed of solutions compared to previous versions.
The Advantage2 utilizes Zephyr topology, allowing for the efficient placement of larger tasks with smaller physical cubes. This is crucial for solving problems in optimization, AI, material modeling, and other industries where traditional supercomputers may take months or years.
D-Wave’s technical director, Lanting, emphasized that the new system provides a 10,000 times acceleration and higher quality solutions. The company has also doubled the coherence of cubes and improved production stack processing, resulting in more stable operation at lower noise levels.
Coherence refers to how long a cube retains its quantum state – superposition or entanglement. With Advantage2, noise has been reduced by 75% and the energy scale increased by 40%, enabling the system to handle more complex computing tasks.
All D-Wave devices, including the Advantage2, consume only 12 kilowatts regardless of generation. This energy efficiency sets the platform apart as one of the most energy-efficient options in the industry as computing power increases.
The Advantage2 operates as a quantum computer based on quantum annealing, a method that solves optimization problems by simulating physical cooling processes. Unlike universal quantum systems still in testing, quantum annealing is already used in commercial scenarios.
For organizations interested in exploring quantum computing, D-Wave offers the Quantum Launchpad program, providing free three-month access to the system. This allows companies to evaluate if they are suited for a quantum approach without the initial resource investment.
Looking ahead, D-Wave has ambitious scaling plans, aiming to reach 100,000 cubes and transition to multi-chip architecture. The Advantage2 marks a significant milestone in this journey, emphasizing the company’s dedication to advancing quantum computing technology.