Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced the Ocelot quantum computing chip on February 27, 2025, which could reduce the cost of quantum error correction by up to 90% compared to current approaches. Developed by the AWS Center for Quantum Computing at the California Institute of Technology, the chip represents a significant breakthrough in building fault-tolerant quantum computers capable of solving problems beyond the capabilities of today’s conventional computers.
The Ocelot chip fundamentally employs a new approach using the so-called "cat qubit" technology, which inherently suppresses certain types of errors, reducing the resources required for quantum error correction. "We believe that if we want to build practical quantum computers, quantum error correction must come first. That’s what we’ve achieved with Ocelot," said Oskar Painter, AWS’s Director of Quantum Hardware. The chip consists of two integrated silicon microchips, each approximately 1 cm² in size, and contains 14 core components, including five data qubits, five buffer rings to stabilize the data qubits, and four additional qubits for error detection. According to AWS researchers, a system based on the Ocelot architecture could require up to 90% fewer resources compared to traditional quantum computing approaches.
Although the Ocelot is currently only a prototype, AWS continues to invest heavily in quantum research. Oskar Painter emphasized that this is just the beginning, with many development phases still ahead for the chips. AWS experts predict that in the future, chips built with Ocelot technology could be up to 80% cheaper than current solutions due to their reduced resource demands for error correction. This cost-efficiency is expected to potentially shorten the development timeline for commercially viable quantum computers by as much as five years.
Sources:
1.
Amazon Staff
2.
Agence France-Presse
3.
Fernando Brandão
