By Matt Swayne
Publication Date: 2026-05-04 08:03:00
Insider Brief
- IBM’s decision in 2016 to put a quantum computer on the cloud expanded access to real hardware and helped turn quantum computing into a global research and early-stage commercial ecosystem.
- Cloud access enabled students, startups, and enterprises to run experiments on real quantum systems, accelerating innovation and supporting the emergence of a quantum software and applications layer.
- Over the past decade, IBM’s systems have scaled from five-qubit devices to machines with more than 100 qubits, alongside advances in error rates, software tools, and a growing base of experienced users.
- Image: IBM Head of Quantum + HPC and Principal Research Scientist Antonio Corcoles uses the newly debuted IBM Quantum Experience on a tablet in the IBM Quantum Lab while standing next to a dilution refrigerator, 2016. (Jon Simon/Feature Photo Service for IBM)
IBM’s decision to put a quantum computer on the cloud 10 years ago helped transform a niche…
