IBM has acquired HRL Laboratories from General Motors and Boeing, picking up silicon-spin qubit technology to broaden its quantum computing approach. The deal, announced this week, gives IBM a second hardware track alongside its existing superconducting qubit work.
Two-Track Quantum Strategy
With the acquisition, IBM now pursues both superconducting and silicon-spin qubits. The company had previously focused almost entirely on superconducting circuits, the technology behind its current quantum processors. Silicon-spin qubits, which HRL has been developing, use electron spins in silicon quantum dots. They offer potential advantages in scalability and integration with classical semiconductor manufacturing.
IBM's quantum roadmap already included plans for a 1,121-qubit Condor processor and beyond. Adding silicon-spin capability gives the company a hedge and a possible path to larger, more stable systems.
From Automotive and Aerospace to Quantum
HRL Laboratories was jointly owned by Boeing and General Motors. It was founded in 1948 as the Hughes Research Laboratory and has a long history of defense and aerospace research. The lab's quantum work includes silicon-based qubits, which some researchers see as more compatible with existing chip fabrication than superconducting qubits.
Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. IBM said the HRL team will join its IBM Research division.
The move comes as competition in quantum computing intensifies. Google, Intel, and startups like IonQ and Rigetti are all pursuing different qubit technologies. IBM's acquisition signals a bet that no single approach will dominate and that having multiple options in-house is a strategic advantage.
HRL's silicon-spin qubits are still in early development, but IBM expects to integrate the technology into its broader quantum platform over time. The company has not yet announced a timeline for silicon-spin-based processors.
