IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire HRL Laboratories, LLC (HRL), a flagship research and development institution. HRL is a private company jointly owned by Boeing and General Motors. Both Boeing and GM will continue to partner with IBM on quantum applications and advanced technology development following the transaction.
HRL's advanced expertise in silicon-spin qubit engineering will complement and extend IBM's long-term mission to scale increasingly powerful quantum computers and accelerate its quantum vision.
Superconducting qubits and spin qubits both leverage state-of-the art silicon fabrication. This shared foundation is amongst the reasons why these two modalities offer credible paths to scaling quantum technologies.
"The HRL team will help IBM push even farther forward toward the frontiers of quantum innovation," said Jay Gambetta, IBM's Director of Research and IBM Fellow. "This talented group of researchers brings a broad portfolio of technologies that will strengthen IBM's long-term plans to deliver useful quantum computing to the world, bringing together advances across quantum computing, quantum sensing, and quantum networking to enable the applications of the future."
This morning’s news release goes on to say HRL will also enable IBM to innovate in and industrialize promising technologies such as quantum sensing and drive new research into quantum materials.
Shares in “Big Blue” sank $4.16, or 2%, to $201.80.
