Alice & Bob Report Urges HPC Centers to Prepare for Quantum
On September 9, quantum hardware manufacturer Alice & Bob and analyst firm Hyperion Research released a report advising supercomputing centers to prepare their software and staff for the eventual arrival of fault-tolerant quantum machines. The document, which synthesizes insights from interviews with 15 practitioners, outlines three key recommendations.
Report Highlights
Specifically, titled “HPC-Quantum-AI: Shaping the Next Compute Era,” the report’s framing originates from Alice & Bob, which identifies itself as a leader in fault-tolerant quantum computing, and Hyperion, the co-author. Both companies advocate for HPC centers to view quantum integration as an immediate priority, a stance that aligns with Alice & Bob’s business objectives of selling quantum hardware.
The report offers three primary recommendations: First, centers should establish testbeds to assess the optimal coupling between quantum, classical, and AI systems, as the required latency tolerance varies by workload. Second, it calls for the development of open standards for qubit-agnostic layers, such as device management and job submission. Third, it encourages co-designing workflows among HPC staff, AI experts, and quantum vendors, citing a quantum chemistry example that aims for a 10,000-fold speed-up (a target, not a proven result).
Interviews were conducted with directors and engineers from institutions including Argonne National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s NERSC, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, RIKEN, Munich Quantum Valley, and Pawsey Supercomputing Centre. According to the report, several practitioners voiced concerns that premature deployment of immature software stacks could undermine the HPC community’s trust in quantum computing for years.
Contextualizing the Timing
Juliette Peyronnet, GM US at Alice & Bob, articulated the shifting landscape within the report:
“What ultimately determines whether a quantum processor can deliver value in an HPC environment is its ability to execute applications. As quantum hardware has progressed at pace, the conversation in HPC is shifting from whether qubits will be delivered to how to get the most from them,” Peyronnet stated.
The report concludes by suggesting that the initial fault-tolerant machines will likely be at centers already developing integration expertise, which makes a case for on-premise deployment. This conclusion naturally favors early adopters of quantum hardware, precisely what Alice & Bob offers. This publication is the second installment in the “Seizing Quantum’s Edge” series, following a 2025 edition that presented similar arguments for preparation.
The report is available for free download from Alice & Bob’s website. Crucially, it does not specify when fault-tolerant hardware will actually materialize or how many logical qubits it will contain; these remain projections.