Microsoft has announced the public availability of its Integrated Hybrid feature in Azure Quantum, enabling researchers to develop hybrid quantum applications that combine classical and quantum code. This new capability allows scientists to create new algorithms, such as adaptive phase estimation and represents a milestone for students learning quantum computing. Early adopters have already developed new algorithms applicable to chemistry, machine learning, and error correction. Users can try integrated hybrid quantum computing on Azure Quantum for free, with $500 in Azure Quantum credits available for experimentation.
Introduction
Microsoft has announced the public availability of its Integrated Hybrid feature in Azure Quantum, enabling researchers to develop hybrid quantum applications that combine classical and quantum code. The new feature is a first for the industry and unlocks a new generation of hybrid algorithms. It allows scientists to create algorithms such as adaptive phase estimation and helps students learn quantum computing without drawing circuits. Developing hybrid quantum computing architectures is a collaborative effort across industry leaders, including the QIR Alliance, which consists of leading quantum software and hardware vendors.
Microsoft Announces Integrated Hybrid Feature in Azure Quantum
Microsoft has announced a significant advancement in quantum computing with the public availability of the Integrated Hybrid feature in Azure Quantum. This feature allows researchers to develop hybrid quantum applications that combine classical and quantum code, running on today’s quantum machines like the Quantinuum H-Series in Azure Quantum. This capability is a first for the industry and unlocks a new generation of hybrid algorithms.
The Integrated Hybrid feature is crucial to Microsoft’s Hybrid Quantum Computing Architectures. As each milestone is reached on the path to scaled quantum computing, tighter and richer integrations will be made available between quantum and classical computing.
This launch introduces integrated quantum computing, enabling scientists to devise new algorithms, such as adaptive phase estimation, that can iterate and adapt over classical computation while physical qubits are coherent.
New Generation of Hybrid Algorithms
Early adopters of integrated hybrid capabilities have already developed or adapted new algorithms applicable to various fields, including chemistry, machine learning, and error correction. This new capability also represents a milestone for students engaging with quantum computing, as they can begin to learn algorithms without drawing circuits and instead leverage high-level programming constructs such as branching based on qubit measurements, loops, calculations, and function calls.
Michael Egan, Director of Quantum Technologies at KPMG, shares that the ability to do high-fidelity iterative circuits, including classical calculations within runtime, opens up a whole new set of algorithms that could significantly improve fidelities and bring us closer to Quantum Advantage.
Collaborative Effort Across Industry Leaders
Developing hybrid quantum computing architectures requires a full-stack approach, combining software and hardware to deliver new capabilities and the highest possible performance. The QIR Alliance, created in September 2022 and composed of leading quantum software and hardware vendors, has driven innovation into integrated hybrid capabilities via the Quantum Intermediate Representation (QIR).
Dr. Bettina Heim, Chair of the QIR Alliance, states that the recent advances are a critical step towards the practical use of quantum acceleration and that new opportunities for application research are now available to everyone.
Exploring Integrated Quantum Computing
Users can try integrated hybrid quantum computing on Azure Quantum for free, with all users eligible for $500 in Azure Quantum credits. Users can also apply for up to $10,000 in research credits on Azure Quantum to further their quantum research and innovation. Users can set up an Azure account, create an Azure Quantum workspace in the Azure Portal, and start their quantum journey with Azure Quantum.
For an installation-free experience, users can try the hosted notebooks experience in the Azure Portal, which enables a variety of languages and Quantum SDKs.
Microsoft’s Vision for Scaled Quantum Computing
Microsoft is architecting a public cloud with Azure that enables scaled quantum computing to become a reality and seamlessly delivers its profound benefits of it to customers. Artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, and quantum are being co-designed as part of Azure, and their integration will significantly impact the future.
To learn more about Microsoft’s vision for quantum computing and the new Integrated Hybrid feature in Azure Quantum, users can join the upcoming Microsoft Quantum Innovation Series and register for the Developer Webinar.
“Quantum computing hardware is rapidly improving. Enabling solutions such as the integrated hybrid tools from Azure Quantum empower users to take advantage of the emerging hardware features and capabilities”
Tony Uttley, President & Chief Operating Officer at Quantinuum.
“The ability to do high fidelity iterative circuits, including classical calculations within runtime, opens up a whole new set of algorithms. Each algorithm could significantly improve fidelities just like iterative phase estimation, and bring us closer to Quantum Advantage.”,
Michael Egan, Director Quantum Technologies at KPMG.
“We are proud to see that the efforts of the QIR Alliance have resulted in achieving a tighter integration between quantum and classical resources. These recent advances are a critical step towards a practical use of quantum acceleration. We are excited about the new opportunities for application research that are now available to everyone.”,
Dr Bettina Heim, Chair of the QIR Alliance.
“QIR is the main enabler for increasing expressivity of quantum programs in a standard and interoperable manner. Using hardware-specific QIR profiles, end users can take full advantage of the unique capabilities provided by the H-Series quantum computers, including runtime support for measurement-conditioned program flow control – a key building block of quantum error correction paving the way towards fault-tolerant quantum computing of the future.” said Alex Chernoguzov, Chief Engineer of Commercial Products at Quantinuum.
Executive Summary
Microsoft has made its Integrated Hybrid feature in Azure Quantum available to the public, allowing researchers to develop hybrid quantum applications that combine classical and quantum code. This advancement unlocks a new generation of hybrid algorithms and is a first for the industry.
- Microsoft announced the public availability of the Integrated Hybrid feature in Azure Quantum, enabling the development of hybrid quantum applications.
- The new feature allows researchers to develop algorithms that combine classical and quantum code, running on the Quantinuum H-Series in Azure Quantum.
- This advancement is a first for the industry and a key part of Microsoft’s Hybrid Quantum Computing Architectures.
- Tony Uttley, President & Chief Operating Officer at Quantinuum, and Michael Egan, Director Quantum Technologies at KPMG, praised the new capabilities for enabling new algorithms and bringing the industry closer to Quantum Advantage.
- Early adopters have developed new algorithms applicable to chemistry, machine learning, and error correction.
- The QIR Alliance, composed of leading quantum software and hardware vendors, has driven innovation in integrated hybrid capabilities through Quantum Intermediate Representation.
- Azure Quantum users can try integrated hybrid quantum computing for free, with $500 in Azure Quantum credits available for experimentation.
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