Overview

• IBM’s Starling design targets 200 logical qubits to execute 100 million quantum operations with error-corrected performance.
• A new quantum low-density parity check (qLDPC) error-correction code reduces physical qubit requirements by roughly 90% compared with traditional surface codes.
• The architecture incorporates real-time decoding via FPGAs and conventional processors to identify and correct errors during computation.
• Key milestones include the 2025 Quantum Loon test of qLDPC components, the 2026 modular Quantum Kookaburra processor, and the 2027 dual-module Quantum Cockatoo integration.
• IBM plans to follow Starling with the Blue Jay system by 2033, aiming for 2,000 logical qubits capable of one billion quantum operations.