MilestoneIndustryConfirmed

IBM puts a five-qubit quantum computer online for the public

May 4, 2016

IBM launches the IBM Quantum Experience, a cloud service that lets people outside IBM run experiments on a real five-qubit superconducting processor at its research center in Yorktown Heights, New York. IBM said it was the first time ever it had made quantum computing available to the public.

Why it matters

Until then, quantum computers were open only to researchers in the lab. Cloud access let students and developers anywhere program real quantum hardware, a model other companies later followed.

Jay Gambetta · IBM

See it on the timeline

Related

Sources (4)

Each quote above was checked automatically against the original page. Added Oct 15, 2026. Spotted an error? Tell us and we will review it.