PsiQuantum will begin building its quantum computer in Illinois. The company will begin construction at the new Illinois Quantum Microelectronics Park on the south side of Chicago in late 2025. The device will be used by the state of Illinois and will have an estimated cost of over $1 billion, an initiative initiated by Governor JB Pritzker.
They chose to build this in Chicago in part because of its ample access to water, electricity, and land
“We have a very aggressive plan to get that site up and running by 2028 (…) The thing to understand about quantum computing is that it really allows you to solve problems of enormous importance that would otherwise be impossible to solve forever—not just impossible to solve today, but impossible forever,” Jeremy O’Brien, CEO of PsiQuantum, recently said.
In a post on and around the world to a city where emerging technologies are becoming reality. The team was on the ground throughout the week, connecting with industry leaders, close partners, and the local community to explore quantum computing’s role as it scales toward real-world utility. The company said it chose to build this development in Chicago in part because of its ample access to water, electricity, and land, as well as its talent pool, according to Chief Scientist Pete Shadbolt.
What’s expected from this quantum supercomputer?
It is expected to be able to sort through large amounts of data and solve complex mathematical problems that a traditional machine could take months or years to solve. Quantum computers, which are based on qubits, have the ability to store data in multiple forms, so they are expected to be exponentially more powerful than a traditional binary computer.
PsiQuantum has stated that this cutting-edge technology seeks to build a 1 million qubit computer
The supercomputer will have a wide range of applications across various business sectors, including drug development, new electric batteries, and cheaper ways to produce fertilizers, Jeremy O’Brien said.
More specifically, PsiQuantum has stated that this cutting-edge technology seeks to build a 1 million qubit computer, rather than developing smaller, incremental systems of 100 or 1,000 qubits. It has financial backing from BlackRock and is in the process of raising at least $750 million.
On the Website of PsiQuantum, they describe the computers like this: PsiQuantum is a quantum computing company on a mission to build and deploy the world’s first useful quantum computers. Our approach to building a utility-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer involves photonics-based architecture and it leverages existing infrastructure to build and scale these systems as fast as possible.
A modern data center can consume as much electricity as the entire city of Chicago
It’s worth noting that, according to recent data, the increased processing capacity of these technologies, primarily AI and cloud storage, has put significant pressure on global energy production. The report notes that data centers dedicated to these technologies could consume more electricity than entire cities, forcing producers to seek sustainable and stable solutions. Specifically, a modern data center can consume as much electricity as the entire city of Chicago.
This last point is a very important topic, as all major companies are now beginning to use AI on a daily basis. And considering that most companies now work directly by storing data in the cloud, we’ll have to keep an eye on how PsiQuantum addresses the storage and contamination obstacles that arise.
