The ‘IBM Quantum Blue Jay’ system, expected sometime after 2033, will build on Starling’s architecture and be capable of executing one billion quantum operations using 2,000 logical qubits.

International Business Machines (IBM) shares rose as much as 1% in pre-market trade on Tuesday after the company announced plans to build a fault-tolerant quantum computer by 2029. 

The system, called ‘Starling,’ will be located at a data center under construction in Poughkeepsie, New York, and is expected to operate with 200 logical qubits. It will initially be able to perform 100 million quantum operations.

According to IBM’s road map, Starling will lay the groundwork for a larger system called ‘IBM Quantum Blue Jay,’ which is expected to be introduced after 2033 and designed to execute one billion quantum operations using 2,000 logical qubits.

Qubits, the basic unit of quantum information, have historically been difficult to stabilize. 

However, IBM has published two technical papers detailing its proposed architecture, which relies on quantum low-density parity-check (qLDPC) codes. The company argues this approach is more scalable and practical than prior industry-standard error-correcting schemes, which require unmanageable numbers of physical qubits.

"IBM is charting the next frontier in quantum computing," said CEO Arvind Krishna. "Our expertise across mathematics, physics, and engineering is paving the way for a large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer—one that will solve real-world challenges and unlock immense possibilities for business."

The roadmap includes multiple intermediary systems. IBM Quantum Loon, expected to be released in 2025, will test architectural components for error correction. 

Kookaburra, scheduled for 2026, will be the company’s first modular processor that combines quantum logic and memory. By 2027, the Cockatoo system will integrate two Kookaburra modules, enabling scalability without physically building larger chips.

IBM’s stock has gained more than 22% this year and 60% in the last 12 months. 

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