Quantum computing is getting there. After years of slow but steady development to create a useful quantum computer that can outperform classical machines, we’re still squarely in the so-called “noisy intermediate-scale quantum era.” However, many of the pieces needed for building more advanced — and stable — machines are starting to fall into place now. At the Microsoft Ignite 2024 conference, Microsoft and Atom Computing on Tuesday announced yet another breakthrough on the way to a fault-tolerant quantum computing: the two companies entangled 24 logical qubits using neutral atoms held in place by lasers. The two companies say that this is the highest number of entangled logical qubits on record. (It takes a number of physical qubits to create the logical qubit that can then be used to run quantum algorithms.) What’s maybe just as important is that the system was able to detect when one of the neutral atoms that make up a physical qubit disappeared (they have the pesky tendency to do so) and repeatedly correct for that. The two companies plan to deliver quantum computers based on this technology to commercial customers next year. Those machines will feature over 1,000 physical qubits.

Full report : Microsoft and Atom Computing plan to ship quantum computers with 1,000+ physical qubits to enterprises in 2025 and detail a 24 entangled logical qubits record.