Amazon has unveiled its first quantum computing chip, designed to enable the company to develop highly efficient hardware systems, CNBC reports.
The processor, called Ocelot, features nine qubits. In comparison, Google’s largest quantum solution to date, Willow, has 105 qubits. The industry benchmark is set at one million qubits, which would allow the technology to function effectively even in the presence of certain errors.
In February, Microsoft announced its first quantum computing chip, Majorana 1, claiming to have created an entirely new topological state of matter. The chip currently has eight qubits, with plans to scale up to several hundred.
To scale Ocelot into a full-fledged quantum computer capable of transforming society, less than one-tenth of total available resources would be needed, according to Fernando Brandão, Director of Amazon Web Services, and Oskar Painter, Head of AWS Quantum Hardware.
Like Microsoft, Amazon developed its quantum chip in-house. Painter noted that commercial workloads are unlikely to run on this new class of computers for at least ten years.
The quantum computing sector is evolving steadily and raising concerns among crypto enthusiasts. In November 2024, Google experts unveiled a technology that, with AI integration, could make quantum computing viable in real-world applications.
In a published study, DeepMind researchers explained how their AI system, AlphaQubit, successfully corrected persistent errors that have long plagued quantum computers.
Earlier, Chinese scientists conducted the first-ever successful attack on a widely used encryption algorithm using a new form of quantum computing. Meanwhile, renowned cypherpunk and cryptographer Adam Back suggested that advancements in this field might actually strengthen Bitcoin rather than undermine it.
$170M for Quantum Machines
Israeli quantum computing startup Quantum Machines has raised $170 million in a Series C funding round, bringing its total funding to $280 million, WSJ reports.
The publication noted increased interest in the technology following recent breakthroughs by Google and Microsoft.
“Investors realize that if you can introduce a new computing paradigm, it’s probably the biggest potential opportunity imaginable. Over the past hundred years, nothing has driven industry and the economy quite like computing,” said Itamar Sivan, co-founder and CEO of Quantum Machines.
The round was led by PSG Equity, with participation from Intel Capital, Red Dot Capital Partners, and other investors. The funds will be used to further develop technology supporting more powerful quantum computers and expand the company’s workforce.
Kike Miralles, Investment Director at Intel Capital, emphasized that the debate around quantum technologies has shifted from “if” to “when”.
Amazon’s Alexa+
Alongside its quantum computer, Amazon also introduced Alexa+, the company’s “most intelligent, conversational, and personalized AI assistant to date.”
The latest evolution of generative AI is here. Meet Alexa+, our smartest, most conversational, and personalized AI assistant to date.
— Amazon (@amazon) February 26, 2025
Alexa+ is designed to leverage state-of-the-art architecture that connects LLMs, agentic capabilities, third-party services, and more to your… pic.twitter.com/yJ9IoPeVj0
Alexa+ features a modern architecture that connects to LLM-powered devices, offers agent-based capabilities, integrates third-party services, and more.
The assistant can answer questions about books read, notify users about concert ticket availability, and help with restaurant reservations.
“The new Alexa knows practically everything about your life—your schedule, preferences, devices, contacts, and entertainment choices,” said Panos Panay, Amazon’s Head of Devices and Services.
Equipped with cameras for visual perception, Alexa+ can interpret tone and environmental context.
The assistant is fully integrated into Amazon’s smart home ecosystem. For instance, it can play music from Amazon Music on supported devices or skip to a specific scene in a movie.
In December 2024, Amazon showcased its new generation of neural networks and announced partnerships with Anthropic and Apple.
Cryptol – your source for the latest news on cryptocurrencies, information technology, and decentralized solutions. Stay informed about the latest trends in the digital world.