DUBLIN – Atos, a global leader in information technology services, joins forces with the Irish Centre for High-End Computing (ICHEC) to deploy its groundbreaking GPU-accelerated Atos Quantum Learning Machine Enhanced (Atos QLM E), the world’s most powerful commercially available quantum simulator, according to a press release published on EuropaWire.

The Atos QLM E will be seamlessly integrated into Ireland’s national supercomputer ‘Kay’, augmenting it with quantum capabilities and a suite of quantum software programming tools. This hybrid HPC-Quantum Computing platform, named Kay-Atos QLM E, will serve as the cornerstone of the Quantum Programming Ireland (QPI) Initiative, fostering R&D and skills development in quantum technologies across academia, industry, and the public sector.

Designed to offer up to 12 times faster computation speed compared to its predecessor, the Atos QLM E will play a pivotal role in Ireland’s participation in the €1 billion European flagship quantum initiative, ‘NEASQC’. Coordinated by Atos and involving 11 European partners, including Ireland, the project aims to advance quantum computing research and applications.

Prof. Jean-Christophe (“JC”) Desplat, Director at ICHEC, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “As Ireland’s high-performance computing authority, we’re committed to leveraging technology to tackle challenges across various sectors. With the Atos QLM E, we anticipate significant advancements in both scientific research and industry applications.”

Agnès Boudot, Senior Vice President, Head of HPC & Quantum at Atos, emphasized the milestone, saying, “The deployment of the Atos QLM E at ICHEC marks a significant step in our Quantum Program. We are excited to support ICHEC in their quantum journey and enable groundbreaking discoveries in high-performance computing.”

Atos’ commitment to quantum computing dates back to 2016 with the launch of its ambitious ‘Atos Quantum’ program. The Atos QLM is already operational in multiple countries, empowering cutting-edge research programs in various sectors worldwide.