IBM’s ‘Loon’ Chip Marks Major Step Toward Practical Quantum Computers by 2029
IBM has unveiled a new experimental quantum computing chip, dubbed “Loon,” that the company says achieves a critical milestone toward building useful, error-corrected quantum computers by 2029.
Quantum computers hold the potential to solve complex problems in chemistry, physics, and logistics that would take traditional supercomputers thousands of years to complete. However, the fragile quantum states that power these machines are notoriously prone to errors — a challenge that has long stood in the way of practical applications.
To address this, IBM in 2021 proposed an innovative approach to error correction, adapting algorithms originally developed to improve cellphone signal reliability. The method uses a hybrid system combining quantum and classical chips to stabilize qubits — the basic units of quantum computation.
According to Jay Gambetta, IBM Research director and IBM Fellow, the Loon chip was fabricated at the Albany NanoTech Complex in New York, using the same advanced semiconductor tools found in cutting-edge commercial fabs.
“Loon remains in early stages,” Gambetta said, “but it demonstrates a critical step toward error-corrected quantum computing that can outperform classical systems.”
IBM also introduced another chip, “Nighthawk,” which will be made available by the end of this year. The company expects Nighthawk to surpass classical computers on specific tasks by late 2026.
Analyst Mark Horvath of Gartner called the new design “very clever,” noting that the inclusion of quantum interconnections between qubits makes the chips harder to build but exponentially more capable.
IBM plans to make Nighthawk’s code openly available to researchers and startups, fostering a community-driven testing model to validate claims of quantum advantage — when quantum systems outperform classical ones.
