IonQ Tempo system achieves roadmap milestone three months early, exponentially expanding quantum computational power
New performance benchmarks reveal IonQ systems significantly outperform IBM and competing quantum systems in multiple commercially relevant algorithms
IonQ (NYSE: IONQ), the leader in the quantum computing and networking industries, today announced it has achieved a record algorithmic qubit score of #AQ 64. This milestone was achieved on an IonQ Tempo system, three months ahead of schedule, establishing IonQ as the only company to reach #AQ 64 setting a new standard for quantum systems.
#AQ benchmarks measure a quantum system's ability to run quantum algorithms of increasing complexity and size while maintaining high fidelity. Achieving #AQ 64 indicates that IonQ's quantum systems can address a set of increasingly complex real-world applications such as energy grid distribution improvements, computational drug discovery, engineering simulation modeling, supply chain optimization, and enhanced fraud and anomaly detection.
With each increment in #AQ value, the useful computational space for running quantum algorithms doubles. A system with #AQ 64 is capable of considering more than 18 quintillion (i.e., 2^64) different possibilities – more than 268,435,456 times more powerful than #AQ 36 (i.e., 2^36) which IonQ achieved nine months ago.
With #AQ 64, IonQ Tempo – the company's fifth-generation quantum computer – is expected to be capable of commercial advantage for certain applications, with a computational space that is 36 quadrillion times larger than IBM's current publicly available quantum systems.
"Achieving #AQ 64 marks a pivotal moment in our journey to unlock broad quantum advantage," said Niccolo de Masi, Chairman and CEO of IonQ. "This accomplishment reflects the maturity of our hardware, software, and applications stack, and reinforces our leadership in making quantum systems commercially valuable today. We estimate that in certain cases, our Tempo systems will perform quantum calculations that would otherwise require up to 1 billion GPUs to simulate, while consuming dramatically less energy and occupying a much smaller physical footprint."
In addition to the number of physical qubits in its products, going forward IonQ will report additional metrics such as logical qubits, logical error rates, and a collection of industry-relevant application benchmarks. These practical benchmarks will offer customers a direct view of how IonQ's systems can add value in their industries, with clear measurements on accuracy, cost, duration, and energy.
The company highlighted a few new commercially-relevant benchmark comparisons during its recent Analyst Day. The comparisons showed how IonQ's Aria and Forte systems outperformed IBM's current systems by a wide margin:
- 35% improvement in solution quality, running an optimization algorithm (QAOA) used for solving complex problems where exact solutions are infeasible – such as in finance, logistics, materials, pharma, AI/ML, energy, and more.
- 74% improvement in solution quality, running a foundation algorithm (QFT) used for mapping quantum states into frequency space for cryptography, chemistry, and signal processing.
- 182% improvement in solution quality, running a search algorithm (FAA) for large and noisy datasets, relevant in optimization, AI/ML, security, and beyond.
This news follows IonQ's announcements of its accelerated technology roadmap, securing a majority stake in ID Quantique, and its acquisitions of Qubitekk, Lightsynq, Oxford Ionics, in addition to the recently announced intent to acquire Vector Atomic. IonQ continues to set the pace for the quantum computing and networking industries, delivering solutions that are not only more powerful, but also more practical for solving real-world challenges.
About IonQ
IonQ, Inc. (NYSE: IONQ) is the leading commercial quantum computing and networking company, delivering high-performance systems aimed at solving the world's most complex problems. IonQ's current generation quantum computers, IonQ Forte and IonQ Forte Enterprise, are the latest in a line of cutting-edge systems that have been helping customers and partners such as Amazon Web Services, AstraZeneca, and NVIDIA achieve 20x performance results.
The company is accelerating its technology roadmap and intends to deliver the world's most powerful quantum computers with 2 million qubits by 2030 to accelerate innovation in drug discovery, materials science, financial modeling, logistics, cybersecurity, and defense. IonQ's advancements in quantum networking also position the company as a leader in building the quantum internet.
The company's innovative technology and rapid growth were recognized in Newsweek's 2025 Excellence Index 1000, Forbes' 2025 Most Successful Mid-Cap Companies list, and Built In's 2025 100 Best Midsize Places to Work in Washington DC and Seattle, respectively. Available through all major cloud providers, IonQ is making quantum computing more accessible and impactful than ever before. Learn more at IonQ.com.
IonQ Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Some of the forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words. Statements that are not historical in nature, including the words "accelerate," "accelerating," "building," "can," "continues," "deliver," "delivering," "forward," "helping," "intends," "journey," "increasingly," "position," "progress," "progresses," "toward," "will," and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements include those related to the IonQ's quantum computing capabilities and plans; IonQ's technology driving commercial quantum advantage or delivering scalable, fault-tolerant quantum computing in the future; the relevance and utility of quantum algorithms and applications run on IonQ's quantum computers; the necessity, effectiveness, and future impacts of IonQ's offerings available today; and the scalability, fidelity, efficiency, viability, accessibility, effectiveness, importance, reliability, performance, speed, impact, practicality, feasibility, and commercial-readiness of IonQ's offerings. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections, and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release, including but not limited to: IonQ's ability to implement its technical roadmap; changes in the competitive industries in which IonQ operates, including development of competing technologies; IonQ's ability to deliver, and customers' ability to generate, value from IonQ's offerings; IonQ's ability to deliver higher speed and fidelity gates with fewer errors, enhance information transfer and network accuracy, or reduce noise and errors; IonQ's ability to implement its business plans, forecasts, roadmaps and other expectations, to identify and realize partnerships and opportunities, and to engage new and existing customers; IonQ's ability to deliver services and products within currently anticipated timelines; IonQ's inability to attract and retain key personnel; or IonQ's inability to effectively integrate its acquisitions of Qubitekk, Inc., Lightsynq Technologies, Inc., Capella Space Corporation, ID Quantique, SA, and Oxford Ionics Limited, or close its acquisition of Vector Atomic Inc. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Company's filings, including but not limited to those described in the "Risk Factors" section of IonQ's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and reports on Form 10-Q. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and IonQ assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. IonQ does not give any assurance that it will achieve its expectations.
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