IBM Research launches the first Discovery Accelerator in Canada & plans to deploy an IBM Quantum System One

(ResearchIBMBlog) In partnership with the Government of Quebec, IBM Research is launching its fourth Discovery Accelerator, and the first in Canada. A new quantum computer will be installed in the province, alongside a new HPC cluster for AI, to help accelerate research in sustainability, therapeutics, and semiconductors.
The fields of AI, cloud, and quantum computing are pushing industries and society at large forward in ways unimaginable just a few decades ago. But when we’re able to leverage some of these technologies, or all three together, the potential for discovering new materials, finding novel drugs, or tackling some of the world’s toughest problems increases dramatically.
IBM has come to call this accelerated discovery, and it’s now a core thesis for much of the work IBM is undertaking at IBM Research. The world is rapidly evolving, and we need to match that speed in uncovering discoveries to tackle some of the most urgent problems society is wrestling with, from mitigating the impact of climate change to new drugs to address the challenges of human health the world over.

Now, IBM has launched the Quebec-IBM Discovery Accelerator and is planning to deploy an IBM Quantum System One in Bromont, Quebec, alongside a new high-performance computing cluster for AI in the province, to do just that.

This new initiative, which will be IBM fourth Discovery Accelerator and first in Canada, will build upon our history of investment into the province. IBM has a strong foundation with the University of Sherbrooke, and built our first quantum hub in Canada at the university in 2020. IBM also have an ongoing partnership with Mila, a leading AI research institute based in Montreal, to accelerate the development of trusted, open-source AI capabilities, and demystifying the “black box” nature of machine learning models.

IBM also has our development and manufacturing facility in Bromont, which is IBM’s largest semiconductor assembly and test facility. It will host this Discovery Accelerator’s quantum computer — the fifth dedicated IBM quantum system installed in the world. Our plan with this Discovery Accelerator is to help accelerate the pace of research in a range of fields.