NVIDIA has introduced NVQLink, a new open system architecture designed to connect quantum processors with GPU computing. The technology aims to accelerate the development of hybrid quantum-classical supercomputers by providing a high-speed interconnect between quantum and traditional computing systems.
The development of NVQLink was guided by researchers from several major U.S. national laboratories, including Brookhaven National Laboratory, Fermi Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories. These institutions collaborated with NVIDIA to address integration challenges in quantum computing and support work on advanced control algorithms required for large-scale quantum applications.
Quantum computers use qubits that are sensitive to errors and require complex calibration and error correction. According to NVIDIA, NVQLink delivers the low-latency and high-throughput connection needed for these tasks. The system is intended to help researchers build hybrid systems that can accelerate progress in fields such as chemistry and materials science.
“In the near future, every NVIDIA GPU scientific supercomputer will be hybrid, tightly coupled with quantum processors to expand what is possible with computing,” said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA. “NVQLink is the Rosetta Stone connecting quantum and classical supercomputers — uniting them into a single, coherent system that marks the onset of the quantum-GPU computing era.”
U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright commented on the importance of this collaboration: “Maintaining America’s leadership in high-performance computing requires us to build the bridge to the next era of computing: accelerated quantum supercomputing. The deep collaboration between our national laboratories, startups and industry partners like NVIDIA is central to this mission — and NVIDIA NVQLink provides the critical technology to unite world-class GPU supercomputers with emerging quantum processors, creating the powerful systems we need to solve the grand scientific challenges of our time.”
NVQLink supports 17 different QPU builders as well as five controller builders across nine U.S. national labs. It offers an open approach for integrating various types of quantum hardware directly with AI supercomputing resources.
Researchers can access NVQLink through its integration with NVIDIA's CUDA-Q software platform. This allows developers to create applications that utilize CPUs, GPUs and quantum processors together in preparation for future hybrid supercomputing environments.
Partners involved in developing NVQLink include Alice & Bob, Anyon Computing, Atom Computing, Diraq, Infleqtion, IonQ, IQM Quantum Computers, ORCA Computing, Oxford Quantum Circuits, Pasqal, Quandela, Quantinuum, Quantum Circuits Inc., Quantum Machines, Quantum Motion Technologies Ltd., QuEra Computing Inc., Rigetti Computing Inc., SEEQC Inc., Silicon Quantum Computing Pty Ltd., Keysight Technologies Inc., Qblox B.V., QubiC Technologies LLC and Zurich Instruments AG.
Quantum builders or research centers interested in using NVQLink can sign up for access online through NVIDIA's website.
More information about how NVIDIA is advancing AI innovation alongside its partners can be found by watching Jensen Huang’s keynote at GTC Washington D.C.