{"id":70468,"date":"2025-02-07T16:14:06","date_gmt":"2025-02-07T16:14:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2025\/02\/07\/darpa-continues-quest-to-validate-quantum-computing-utility\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T01:18:07","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T01:18:07","slug":"darpa-continues-quest-to-validate-quantum-computing-utility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/pentagon\/2025\/02\/07\/darpa-continues-quest-to-validate-quantum-computing-utility\/","title":{"rendered":"DARPA continues quest to validate quantum computing utility"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

After a yearlong technical review, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency said Thursday it will advance designs from Microsoft and California-based PsiQuantum to the next phase of its Quantum Benchmarking Initiative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the program, DARPA wants to understand whether it\u2019s possible to develop a utility-scale quantum computing system<\/a> \u2014 which means that its computational value is greater than its cost \u2014 by 2033. To do this, the agency is not only investing in companies\u2019 research, but it\u2019s also helping to verify and validate their plans and share the results of their work with the broader U.S. government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Known as QBI, the effort builds on previous work under the agency\u2019s Underexplored Systems for Utility-Scale Quantum Computing, or US2QC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both Microsoft and PsiQuantum have moved through a rigorous slate of technical analysis conducted by a team of more than 50 industry, government and scientific experts. The next, and final, phase of the effort will focus on full-system performance to validate whether their concepts can be built and operated as expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNow, we\u2019re ready to evaluate their final utility-scale system designs, conduct government testing of components and hardware, and assess system-level performance capabilities of major prototypes,\u201d Joe Alpeter, DARPA\u2019s QBI program manager, said in a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quantum computers can process data at much faster rates than a standard computer. For the military, more processing power means faster automation, improved target recognition and more precise, lethal weapons. It also raises concerns around cybersecurity<\/a>, as an adversary could use quantum computers to decrypt classified information or disrupt communication networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\t