ALGORITHMIC WARFARE: DARPA Investigating Which Quantum Computers Can Go the Distance
DARPA is expanding its quantum computing efforts through the Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI), enlisting nearly 20 companies to assess which technologies could produce a practical, cost-effective quantum computer by 2033. This initiative builds on the earlier US2QC program, which recently advanced Microsoft and PsiQuantum to its final phase. In QBI’s Stage A, companies will present detailed technical plans within six months to demonstrate feasibility. The agency, maintaining a skeptical stance, aims to identify genuinely promising approaches without a fixed selection quota. Participants include startups and global firms using varied methods, such as Alice & Bob’s efficient cat qubit technology and Photonic Inc.’s scalable optically linked silicon spin qubits. The initiative will progress through further evaluation stages, culminating in independent testing of the companies’ hardware.