Hitachi, Intel and AIST Launch Silicon Quantum Computing Project Backed by Japanese Government

Hitachi has embarked on a government-backed research initiative with Intel K.K. and AIST to advance silicon quantum computing, focusing on the development of industrial-scale manufacturing technologies. The project's primary objectives include designing 100-qubit silicon quantum chips, creating manufacturing toolkits, and integrating 3D technologies for future 1,000-qubit systems. A cloud platform will also be established, providing researchers with remote access to experimental quantum hardware. Hitachi plans to launch an initial cloud service in fiscal 2027 and demonstrate a 100-qubit system, marking a significant step towards large-scale quantum computing. This development has significant implications for cryptographic systems, as Intel's involvement narrows the timeline for migration to post-quantum cryptography¹. So what matters to practitioners is that the urgency to plan for post-quantum cryptography migration increases, given the potential for quantum computing to compromise existing cryptographic protocols.