AWS unveils Amazon Braket quantum computing service

December 02, 2019

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is hoping to bring quantum computing to the cloud world, with the company on Monday lifting the lid off three initiatives at AWS re:Invent in Las Vegas.

The first is Amazon Braket.

Amazon Braket is a new, fully managed AWS service that the company has touted as enabling scientists, researchers, and developers to begin experimenting with computers from quantum hardware providers, such as D-Wave, IonQ, and Rigetti.

AWS said the service lets customers explore, evaluate, and experiment with quantum computing hardware to gain in-house experience as they plan for the future. It’s a single development environment to build quantum algorithms, test them on simulated quantum computers, and try them on a range of different quantum hardware architectures.

Amazon Braket is available now in preview.

Furthering its quantum mission, the company’s new AWS Center for Quantum Computing aims to bring together quantum computing experts from Amazon, the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), and other academic research institutions to work together on the research and development of new quantum computing technologies.

The cloud giant hopes the RD will result in the solving of real-world problems through quantum technologies.

The centre, hosted at Caltech, is aiming to provide the opportunity for customers to develop the necessary skills, and identify when quantum is an appropriate solution, as well as learn how they can design algorithms and discover new applications.

Meanwhile the new Amazon Quantum Solutions Lab is a program that connects customers with quantum computing experts from Amazon and its technology and consulting partners.

It is expected the lab will help all involved identify practical uses of quantum computing, and accelerating the development of quantum applications.

Lab programs will combine hands-on educational workshops with brainstorming sessions to help customers “work backwards” from business challenges, and then go step-by-step through the process of using quantum computers, AWS said.

“With quantum engineering starting to make more meaningful progress, customers are asking for ways to experiment with quantum computers and explore the technology’s potential,” AWS senior vice president of utility computing services Charlie Bell explained.

“We believe that quantum computing will be a cloud-first technology and that the cloud will be the main way customers access the hardware. With our Amazon Braket service and Amazon Quantum Solutions Lab, we’re making it easier for customers to gain experience using quantum computers and to work with experts from AWS and our partners to figure out how they can benefit from the technology.

“And with our AWS Center for Quantum Computing and academic partnerships, we join the effort across the scientific and industrial communities to help accelerate the promise of quantum computing.”

Asha Barbaschow travelled to re:Invent as a guest of AWS.