IonQ Adds Integration with Google Cirq, Systems Now Operable with Major Quantum Software Frameworks

(HPCWire) IonQ, Inc. announced the full integration of its quantum computing platform with Cirq, a leading open-source quantum computing framework from Google. Volkswagen Group has already run the “paint shop problem” on IonQ via Cirq and found the performance to be consistent with other quantum software frameworks.
For Volkswagen, running the “paint shop problem” is a useful benchmark because it is a sequential ordering challenge reflective of many of the industry problems they hope quantum computing will help address. Cirq is fast and simple to deploy, and Volkswagen found that running on IonQ via Cirq produced the same results as doing so via other quantum frameworks.
“From its origins, the vision for Cirq was to expand access to quantum computing to even broader audiences,” said Dave Bacon, VP of Software at IonQ (and one of the original authors of Cirq). “As a developer myself, I know that a smoother, simpler implementation is a better implementation, one that will be more useful in the real world. Volkswagen has shown that developing in Cirq on IonQ has real benefits for real problems faced by development teams.”
Realizing the world-changing promise of quantum computing will require open, interoperable systems that enable users from academia, industry, and commerce to quickly access quantum hardware. By integrating with Cirq, and supporting all major quantum language and software frameworks, IonQ is further lowering barriers to entry by researchers, developers, and innovators. Cirq users, as well as users of all other major quantum SDKs, including Qiskit, PennyLane, Orquestra, Strangeworks QC and more can now submit programs to IonQ’s platform without writing any new code.