NVIDIA Will Set Up A Quantum Computing Research Lab This Year
Currently, it’s very clear that artificial intelligence dominates the tech industry. However, looking ahead to the next decade, quantum computing is poised to be the next big thing. The past few months have brought some rather important announcements in this segment. Now, NVIDIA is seriously joining the quantum computing bandwagon by opening a dedicated lab.
Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, revealed that the company will establish a quantum computing lab in Boston. Scientists from Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as well as companies focused on quantum computing, will work alongside NVIDIA tech experts to try to accelerate the development of truly useful quantum computing-based services or products.
NVIDIA to open quantum computing lab with experts from universities and companies
NVIDIA recently held its annual software developer conference in San Jose, California. The company’s CEO made the announcement there, also saying, “This is the first event in history where a company CEO invites all of the guests to explain why he was wrong.”
The list of quantum computing firms participating in the project includes Quantinuum, Quantum Machines, and QuEra Computing. There is no specific date yet for the opening of the research lab. However, Huang confirmed that it will happen sometime later this year.
Huang revealed that he has been testing the waters of quantum technology by discussing the status of the segment with executives from more than a dozen companies. They also discussed monetization possibilities. Currently, the main problem facing the quantum computing industry is that it will take several years for these types of products to have real utility—or so experts estimate. So, it seems like a long-term bet waiting for everything to work out.
However, many of the NVIDIA companies spoke with believe they can turn a profit with quantum technology before that time arrives. “We’re following a tried and true monetization and market development strategy of monetizing those areas where we actually have true quantum advantage today,” said Matt Kinsella, CEO of Infleqtion.
Classical computing will coexist with quantum computing in the future
Executives in the sector also ruled out the possibility of quantum computing replacing traditional computing. This is important for NVIDIA, considering it is one of the largest providers of computing hardware for traditional systems in the world. “It’s going to be a classical system sitting next to a quantum computer, going back and forth… I wouldn’t short any Nvidia stock at the end of this,” stated Peter Chapman, CEO of IonQ. “We use your [NVIDIA] GPUs to design our chips,” he added.
Google and Microsoft have also recently made important announcements for quantum computing. In December 2024, Google introduced “Willow,” a chip that reduces the margin of error in calculations related to “qubits”—the quantum equivalent of bits. Additionally, Microsoft announced the Majorana 1 chip developed in a new “topological state.” Microsoft claims its chip could advance the real-world utility of quantum computers by several years.
Meanwhile, NVIDIA continues to work on major projects for multiple segments of the tech industry. Recently, the company announced GROOT N1 as an open-source model for humanoid robots.
