IBM and AMD are joining forces to build open source hybrid supercomputing platforms, combining quantum and classical computing to accelerate discovery and innovation.
IBM and AMD have announced a strategic collaboration to develop open source hybrid quantum-centric supercomputing platforms, marking a significant step in redefining the future of computing.
At the core of this partnership is a shared commitment to open source ecosystems, with IBM’s Qiskit quantum SDK expected to play a central role in enabling community-driven development of new hybrid algorithms. Both companies emphasise that these platforms will be scalable and open, ensuring that breakthroughs in quantum computing remain widely accessible rather than tied to proprietary systems.
The initiative combines IBM’s expertise in quantum computers and software with AMD’s leadership in high-performance computing (HPC), GPUs, CPUs, FPGAs, and AI accelerators. The goal is to integrate these technologies to accelerate new classes of algorithms beyond the reach of either paradigm working independently.
An initial demonstration of hybrid workflows is planned later this year, showing how IBM quantum systems can work in tandem with AMD hardware to deliver next-generation computational capabilities. The collaboration also supports IBM’s vision of delivering fault-tolerant quantum computers by decade’s end, with AMD technologies offering potential for real-time error correction.
Hybrid quantum-classical systems could revolutionise applications such as drug discovery, materials science, logistics, and optimisation, where quantum computers simulate atomic behaviour while classical supercomputers powered by AI manage large-scale data analysis.
The partnership builds on IBM’s progress with IBM Quantum System Two, its first modular quantum computer, and existing collaborations with RIKEN, Cleveland Clinic, the Basque Government, and Lockheed Martin. For AMD, this continues its track record of powering Frontier and El Capitan, the world’s fastest supercomputers, with CPUs, GPUs, and open-source solutions that also support enterprise AI applications.
Arvind Krishna, Chairman and CEO, IBM, said: “Quantum computing will simulate the natural world and represent information in an entirely new way. By exploring how quantum computers from IBM and the advanced high-performance compute technologies of AMD can work together, we will build a powerful hybrid model that pushes past the limits of traditional computing.”
Dr. Lisa Su, Chair and CEO of AMD, added: “High-performance computing is the foundation for solving the world’s most important challenges. As we partner with IBM to explore the convergence of high-performance computing and quantum technologies, we see tremendous opportunities to accelerate discovery and innovation.”
