IBM’s announcement of the Starling initiative—a quantum computer with nearly 200 logical qubits and the ability to perform 100 million quantum operations—marks a major leap toward large-scale, error-corrected quantum systems. According to industry experts, the IBM Quantum Starling has the potential to perform 20,000 times more operations than today’s quantum machines.

With real-world utility expected as early as 2026 and broader deployment by 2029, the development represents a shift from experimental, noisy systems to commercially viable quantum platforms. However, while milestones by Google and Microsoft also indicate rapid progress, quantum computing remains in a nascent phase, with transformative potential for industries like pharma, materials science, logistics, and finance.

On Tuesday, IBM unveiled its path to build the first large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer, setting the stage for practical and scalable quantum computing.

Expected to be launched in 2029, IBM Quantum Starling will be built in a new IBM Quantum Data Center in New York and has the potential to perform 20,000 times more operations than today’s quantum computers. The company said that the computational state of an IBM Starling would require the memory of more than a quindecillion (1048) of the world’s most powerful supercomputers.

Recent milestones in the space include Google’s “Willow” 105‑qubit chip achieving error suppression below the threshold and Microsoft’s Majorana 1 topological prototype.

Chirag Dekate, VP Analyst at Gartner, explained, “This roadmap, while ambitious, provides a clearer view of quantum computing’s potential. It signals a shift from developing noisy, intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) devices to pursuing true fault tolerance. Fault tolerance is the critical hurdle for practical quantum computing. IBM’s roadmap, outlining systems like Starling (2029) and Blue Jay, suggests a structured approach to tackle complex error correction. If successful, this could accelerate the timeline for achieving meaningful quantum advantage.”

solid traction

Quantum computing is gaining solid traction, Mayank Maggon, Founder, CEO & CTO, of TechChefz Digital pointed out. Over 550,000 users have run more than 3 trillion circuits via Qiskit since 2017. Many organisations also report “commercial advantage” using NISQ systems, though full quantum supremacy is still on the horizon.

A fault-tolerant quantum computer is designed to solve problems with an exponential increase in complexity as the input size grows. This is where classical supercomputers become intractable.

For example, discovering new material properties by simulating quantum interactions that are too intricate for classical methods. These computers aim to perform operations that scale beyond the capabilities of even the most powerful classical machines.

Jaspreet Bindra, Co-founder, of AI&Beyond, shared that the fully fault‑tolerant demonstrates engineering maturity in error correction, transitioning quantum computing from noisy, small-scale systems to practical, large-scale platforms.

“Fault‑tolerant quantum computers can tackle problems like molecular energy calculations, complex optimisation, and certain cryptographic challenges exponentially faster—operations that classical supercomputers struggle with or cannot perform feasibly.”

By 2029, several sectors are expected to benefit significantly from advancements in quantum computing. According to Maggon, in pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, accurate protein and molecular simulations will accelerate drug discovery. The materials and chemicals industries stand to gain through the development of advanced catalysts and energy-efficient processes. Logistics and manufacturing could see major improvements in complex scheduling and supply chain optimization. Meanwhile, the finance and cybersecurity sectors are likely to leverage quantum capabilities for portfolio optimization, sophisticated risk modeling, and enhancing security through post-quantum cryptography.

Published on June 11, 2025