IBM has announced a major milestone in its race toward commercial quantum computing — successfully running an advanced error-correction algorithm on standard AMD hardware. The achievement could accelerate the timeline toward IBM’s goal of launching its large-scale Starling quantum computer by 2029.

A 10x Speed Boost on Standard Hardware

In a paper submitted to arXiv, IBM researchers revealed that they managed to execute their quantum error-correction algorithm on off-the-shelf AMD FPGA chips — and that it ran 10 times faster than necessary to keep up with a quantum computer’s pace.

Error correction is one of the biggest challenges in quantum computing, where fragile qubits are prone to frequent errors. As Rebecca Krauthamer, CEO of quantum-security firm QuSecure, explained, “This is significant because it looks like IBM is a year ahead of schedule in error correction — and IBM has a track record of hitting its quantum roadmaps.”

From Slow Decoders to a Breakthrough Design

IBM’s earlier quantum algorithm relied on a decoder called BP+OSD, which identifies which corrections to apply as quantum information degrades. But the system was both too slow and not accurate enough, according to Diego Ruiz, a physicist at French startup Alice & Bob.

IBM’s new decoder, Relay-BP, solves those problems. In testing, IBM ran the new algorithm on AMD’s FPGA chips — specialized processors often used for rapid parallel computations — and found that it was fast enough to operate in real time with a quantum system. “This removes a major bottleneck that could have limited more advanced error-correcting codes,” said Ruiz.

Classical Computing’s Growing Role

The finding underscores how classical computing power remains critical to quantum progress. “What this shows is that noise reduction and performance improvements in quantum hardware still rely heavily on innovation in classical devices,” said Izhar Medalsy, CEO of Quantum Elements.

Simon Fried of Classiq added that the result reflects “progress in modeling and control software rather than in qubit performance itself,” pointing to deeper integration between classical and quantum systems — a necessary step for scaling. Still, he cautioned that building a truly fault-tolerant quantum computer by 2029 will depend more on hardware breakthroughs than classical simulations.

Quantum Readiness and Security Implications

Not everyone agrees on the timeline. Roger Grimes, CISO advisor at KnowBe4, believes “practical quantum computers will be here by next year,” describing IBM’s advancement as “just another drip in a very large pail” of ongoing innovation across many vendors.

Others see broader implications. Morningstar analyst Luke Yang noted that AMD’s FPGAs are an ideal, cost-effective pairing for IBM’s quantum systems, making them “a logical step that lowers overall quantum costs.” However, he added, “We still don’t see this breakthrough alone triggering widespread quantum adoption.”

Cybersecurity experts warn that such advancements also bring quantum security challenges closer. Philip George of Merlin Cyber pointed out that IBM’s success with common FPGA chips “could accelerate the arrival of cryptographically relevant quantum computers,” leaving governments and businesses little time to shift to post-quantum security standards.

Sectigo’s Jason Soroko added that using commodity hardware “lowers costs and improves scalability,” but also expands the potential attack surface beyond custom-built quantum electronics.

As QuSecure’s Krauthamer summed up, “What used to be rare signals of an impending quantum threat are now weekly headlines. The timelines are accelerating — and we’re running out of time to migrate the world’s systems to post-quantum security.”

Source