IBM has revealed a clear and detailed path toward building the world’s first large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer named Quantum Starling, slated for completion by 2029.
Designed to run 100 million quantum operations on 200 logical qubits, Starling promises a leap in computational scale that surpasses current capabilities by thousands-fold.
At the heart of this effort lies IBM’s shift to quantum low-density parity check (qLDPC) codes and a novel modular architecture that dramatically reduces physical qubit overhead – by up to 90% – compared with legacy surface code methods.
The roadmap lays out intermediate milestones, introducing processors codenamed Loon (2025), Kookaburra (2026), and Cockatoo (2027), each building toward the launch of Starling at a new Quantum Data Center in Poughkeepsie, New York.
From Quantum Advantage to Fault Tolerance
IBM’s roadmap maps a progression from achieving quantum advantage—demonstrating clear compute benefits over classical systems—expected as early as 2026 with the Quantum Nighthawk processor, to full fault-tolerance by 2029. This journey encapsulates overcoming the key challenge of error suppression in quantum systems.
Jay Gambetta, vice president of IBM Quantum, noted that the remaining barriers are increasingly engineering-focused rather than scientific. Breakthroughs in real-time error decoding hardware and theoretical foundations signal that fault-tolerant design is within reach—founded on solid research rather than optimistic projection.
Quantum Starling and Beyond
Once operational, Quantum Starling will unlock capabilities previously unattainable—enabling researchers to tackle problems in drug discovery, material design, and cryptographic analysis with precision.
It will also serve as a foundation for the successor platform Quantum Blue Jay, slated for deployment around 2033, and capable of executing over 1 billion operations across 2,000 logical qubits.
IBM’s full-stack strategy emphasizes modularity, system scalability, and seamless integration with existing quantum and classical infrastructure. It also underscores IBM’s longtime role as a quantum pioneer—transitioning from experimental prototypes to fully capable, utility-scale systems.
In the broader context, IBM’s roadmap raises the bar for the quantum computing industry, challenging competitors to match its ambitious yet methodical engineering-first model. Their approach sets a precedent for turning theoretical promise into operational reality in quantum technology.
For developers, researchers, and enterprises, Starling—and the roadmap that leads to it—signals a future when complex, real-world computations can be handled by quantum systems. The 2029 timeline may feel distant, but IBM’s phased execution, research progress, and expertise suggest that the quantum leap is already underway.
