WIRED Japan VOL.56 Quantumpedia: The Quantum Computer Beyond
Contribution: interviews and writing
Mikhail Lukin / Joshua and Beth Friedman University Professor Co-Director of the Quantum Science and Engineering Initiative, HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Peter Brabeck-Letmathe / Chairman of the Board of Directors at GESDA, Vice-President of the World Economic Forum
Tim Smith / Coordinator at Open Quantum Institute (CERN)
Marianne T. Schörling / Open Quantum Institute Capacity Building Lead, Senior Program Manager at GESDA
Alexandra Bernasconi / Application Project Manager of the Open Quantum Institute
Pierre Desjardins / C12 CEO
David Hayes / Director of Computational Design and Theory at QUANTINUUM
If the classical computer is a machine that defines computation through human-designed logic and circuitry, the quantum computer can be understood as one that draws computation out of nature itself—a rhythm of information processing where multiple possibilities coexist in a state of superposition, interfering and entangling until they converge toward optimal outcomes. In other words, the quantum computer might be a kind of knot, binding human intelligence to the deep-field potentialities embedded in the fabric of the universe.
So how might quantum computers reshape our society, our industries, and our culture in the years to come? In this essential edition for the quantum age of the 2030s, WIRED presents a living encyclopedia of quantum technologies—Quantumpedia.
Knockin’ on Singularity’s Door: The Quantum Revolution of Mikhail Lukin
Quantum error correction is no longer a theoretical luxury—it’s the critical requirement for making quantum computers truly useful. And among those closest to realizing this technology in physical form is Mikhail Lukin, a physicist at Harvard University and one of the pioneers of neutral atom quantum computing.
Since the late 1990s, Lukin has pursued a method once thought too complex to implement: cooling atoms to near absolute zero, arranging them with optical tweezers, and controlling their interactions with lasers. In 2016, a breakthrough in dynamic tweezer technology changed the equation, allowing atoms to be arranged with near-perfect precision. By manipulating their Rydberg states, his team succeeded in engineering scalable and high-fidelity qubit interactions.
In 2023, Lukin's group achieved a milestone: using 280 physical qubits to create several logical ones, enabling a processor capable of real quantum error correction. What was once theoretical has now moved into experimental reality.
Still, Lukin sees this as just the beginning. Scaling up the tools remains the central challenge. But quantum chemistry, condensed matter, and nuclear physics may not be far off. The singularity has not arrived—but the door is now open, and Lukin is already knocking.
Toward Permanent Neutral Technology: Can Quantum Be Made Truly Open?
At CERN in Geneva, a site dedicated to probing the most fundamental laws of the universe, a new institution emerged in 2024: the Open Quantum Institute (OQI). Supported by GESDA and UBS, the OQI aims to ensure that quantum computing—one of the 21st century’s most powerful technologies—remains globally accessible, ethically guided, and equitably distributed.
Quantum technologies have the potential to transform everything from drug discovery to the optimization of complex social systems. But the key question isn't only how they work, but who they serve. OQI adopts the framework of “science diplomacy,” working to detach quantum from national or corporate interests and reframe it as a global public good.
This vision is not theoretical. Through partnerships with the World Food Programme and Global South institutions, OQI has launched "quantum hackathons," empowering local researchers to use quantum methods on region-specific challenges. Education and capacity-building are essential components of the program, which also includes internships and ecosystem support.
The initiative is grounded in a critical historical awareness: open technologies like the early Internet were eventually enclosed by Big Tech monopolies. The same fate could befall quantum if global governance is not built into its foundations from the outset. At OQI, "open" is not just a method—it’s a principle of design.
This also redefines CERN itself. Underground, physicists probe the origin of matter; above ground, scientists and diplomats negotiate the future shape of computation. In the age of algorithmic governance, the right to compute—and who that right is reserved for—is a new form of democratic question. OQI is one of the first serious answers.
Different Strokes for Different Qubits: Quantinuum and the Generative Frontier
Quantinuum, based in Colorado, is among the few companies developing quantum computers from hardware to application. In February 2025, the company launched Gen QAI (Generative Quantum AI), a framework that combines quantum computing with generative AI to accelerate breakthroughs in fields such as drug discovery, financial modeling, and logistics optimization.
Unlike general-purpose accelerators, Quantinuum’s quantum hardware is positioned as a core computational substrate for AI. Their approach uses trapped-ion qubits, renowned for long coherence times and ultra-precise control. Their proprietary QCCD (Quantum Charge-Coupled Device) architecture allows physical movement and reconfiguration of ions, enabling scalability with precision.
Their next-generation processor, Helios, promises performance one trillion times greater than its predecessor, H2. With a new 2D ion arrangement and junction-based design, Helios is engineered for large-scale entanglement, parallel computation, and long-duration operations. A partnership with Infineon adds a manufacturing edge to their roadmap.
Quantinuum is not merely building a quantum machine. It’s crafting a framework that integrates hardware, theory, and software into a cohesive system for scientific and commercial deployment.
Different Strokes for Different Qubits: C12 and the Case for Carbon Nanotubes
In Paris, the startup C12 is forging a different path. Rather than conforming to the dominant superconducting or ion-based models, C12 is building quantum computers around carbon nanotubes (CNTs)—ultrapure, one-dimensional materials with remarkable stability and coherence.
The premise is bold but clear: error correction can only work if each physical qubit meets a certain quality threshold. CNTs, with their near-perfect crystal structure, offer a low-noise environment at the material level—what CEO Pierre Desjardins calls a “quiet room” for qubits.
Technically, the company isolates single electrons within CNTs and manipulates their spin and charge states using high-frequency pulses, interfaced with superconducting elements. C12’s proprietary fabrication methods allow for atomic-level control of chip-wide quality, a rare feat in the quantum hardware landscape.
A production facility beneath the streets of Paris is now operational. A five-qubit prototype chip is expected by the end of 2024, with a full-scale fault-tolerant system targeted for 2033. C12’s approach—starting from material science and building upward—challenges not just prevailing architectures but our very assumptions about how quantum computation should be structured.
In CNTs, C12 sees not just a platform, but a redefinition of the quantum computer itself.