International Business Machines (IBM) announced Thursday that its research has demonstrated “quantum advantage,” marking a pivotal moment in the development of quantum computing where quantum devices perform certain calculations beyond the reach of classical computers. The results, detailed in three papers coauthored by IBM and partners including the University of Chicago, Japan’s RIKEN national research institute, and quantum software firms Qedma, BlueQubit, and Algorithmiq, indicate these quantum outputs can be rigorously validated.

Jay Gambetta, director of IBM Research, described the achievement as a transition from benchmarking quantum systems to applying them for scientific research and practical use. “We’re in the quantum advantage era,” he said, emphasizing the trustworthiness and replicability of the results.

This announcement comes amid IBM's efforts to strengthen its position in the quantum computing industry following a recent financial setback. The company experienced its largest share decline ever earlier this month after issuing a profit warning tied to a shift in customer demand away from software toward AI hardware and memory chips. IBM also reported that its software and infrastructure segment underperformed in the second quarter. Despite these challenges, CEO Arvind Krishna has expressed confidence that quantum computing will drive the company’s growth in the coming years, comparing IBM’s early lead in the field to Nvidia’s early success with graphics processing units.

IBM faces competition not only from major technology firms such as Microsoft and Google but also a range of startups specializing in quantum technology. While other companies, including D-Wave and Google, have previously claimed quantum advantage, Gambetta noted that IBM’s contribution is distinguished by demonstrable methods for validating quantum computations. “They have methods that make sure that what is running on the quantum computer is giving you correct results,” he said.

In one highlighted collaboration between IBM and Qedma, the researchers showed that quantum computers could examine materials’ physics in ways classical methods cannot replicate. Verification of these findings included the use of a Quantinuum quantum computer, underscoring the consistency and reliability of the data.

A key challenge in quantum computing is that many quantum outputs cannot be directly confirmed by classical computers, which traditionally verify results by repeating calculations on different machines. IBM’s validation techniques thus represent a meaningful advance, signaling growing stability in quantum operations. Heather West, an analyst at International Data Corp. focusing on quantum computing, noted that the company’s results mark a significant step toward fault-tolerant quantum systems, a milestone IBM targets by 2029.

For industries, the critical question remains whether quantum computing will soon enable practical applications such as optimizing complex problems and advancing materials science and medicine. Gambetta said the validated findings provide a trusted foundation for application research and anticipate that more capable quantum machines will expand the scope of these efforts.

West called IBM’s progress “another milestone” on the path to employing quantum systems for complex computations beyond classical capabilities, reinforcing IBM’s standing as a leading contender in the emerging quantum market.