Researchers from IBM and the University of Chicago have reported an important milestone in quantum computing. The experiment used 70 logical qubits — qubits protected by special quantum error-correction methods. The quantum computer completed the calculation in about 15 minutes, while reproducing the same task with leading classical computing methods would be practically extremely difficult.

What makes this result important?

The key achievement is not only speed. One of the major challenges in quantum computing is verifying whether the result of a highly complex calculation is actually reliable. In this experiment, the researchers were able not only to perform a classically intractable computation, but also to statistically evaluate the reliability of the result. In addition, the effective error rate of the logical qubits was about 10 times lower than the error rate of the underlying physical qubits. This result represents another important step toward building larger, more stable, and more reliable quantum computers. In the future, such systems could be used in areas such as new materials research, chemical simulation, complex optimization problems, and other fields where classical computers face significant limitations.

Quantum advantage is gradually moving from a theoretical concept toward a real experimental capability.

Source: IBM. "IBM quantum computer solves classically intractable problem in 15 minutes." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 30 August 2026. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260829035219.htm>.