IBM launches first Discovery Accelerator, installs quantum computer in Canada

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.

As part of the deal, an IBM Quantum System One will be deployed at IBM’s Bromont facility for the use of the Government of Quebec and its partners.

This new initiative, which will be the fourth Discovery Accelerator and first in Canada, will build upon our history of investment into the province. IBM have a strong foundation with the University of Sherbrooke, and built our first quantum hub in Canada at the university in 2020. The company 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.

“Quebec’s potential to innovate in high technology and be a leader in the economy of the future is immense. We have world-class universities, creative entrepreneurs, and talented workers. The dedicated IBM quantum computer will pave the way for us to make incredible progress in areas such as artificial intelligence and modeling. Quantum science is the future of computing. With our innovation zone, we’re positioning ourselves at the forefront of this future,” said François Legault, Premier of Quebec.

IBM said it will provide software technologies such as the Generative Modeling Toolkit for Science and RoboRXN to speed up research and expedite development in the life sciences including genomics and drug design.

Dr. Darío Gil, SVP and Director of Research, IBM, said: “The Quebec-IBM Discovery Accelerator is further proof of our commitment to building open communities of innovation to tackle the big problems of our time through a combination of quantum computing, AI, and high-performance computing, all integrated through the hybrid cloud”

“This new Discovery Accelerator, along with our work in semiconductor packaging, will bring to bear the full scope of IBM’s groundbreaking technology to Quebec’s world-class scientific and industrial communities. We are proud to be working with the Government of Quebec, as well as private sector and academic partners, to take innovation in Quebec to the next level,” he added.
CT Bureau