Award-winning international collaboration showcases breakthrough in hybrid quantum-classical systems for next-generation quantum AI
ORCA Computing, a leading quantum computing company, today announced a blueprint for integrating photonic quantum AI into real-world data centers. By integrating ORCA's photonic quantum processors with NVIDIA accelerated computing and the NVIDIA CUDA-Q software platform, the collaboration shows how data centers can immediately begin deploying scalable hybrid quantum-classical systems for next-generation AI and machine learning workloads, underscoring how GPU-quantum integration is moving rapidly from concept to reality.
The demonstration was delivered in collaboration with Imperial College London and the Poznan Supercomputing and Networking Center (PCSS), bringing together leading academic and research expertise to validate the approach in an operational data center environment. This effort builds on ORCA's broader hybrid quantum initiatives, including the UK's National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC) system, which integrates NVIDIA GPUs directly inside a quantum computer.
"Working together with Imperial and PCSS, we've delivered a working demonstration of a distributed photonic quantum neural network inside a real data center," said Richard Murray PhD, Co-founder and CEO of ORCA Computing. "This approach offers a deployment-ready, upgradeable path for organizations to adopt quantum-accelerated architectures without large infrastructure overhauls."
At the heart of this effort are two ORCA PT photonic quantum processors deployed within the PCSS data center alongside NVIDIA Hopper GPUs. Housed in standard 19-inch rack cabinets and operating at room temperature integrated seamlessly through the NVIDIA CUDA-Q platform and the Slurm workload manager, the system enables researchers to program classical and quantum resources within a single environment. This marks the first time photonic quantum processors have been integrated through CUDA-Q, creating a scalable path for hybrid machine learning and HPC applications.
"Our collaboration with ORCA and Imperial College has allowed us to create a unique quantum classical hybrid system at PCSS," stated Krzysztof Kurowski, Deputy Director CTO of PCSS. "The open, easy integration of multiple QPUs and NVIDIA GPUs demonstrates that quantum accelerated supercomputing is not just tomorrow's promise but today's reality."
This milestone builds on award-winning research from Imperial College, whose underlying paper was honored as Best Paper in the photonics track at a premier quantum conference held during IEEE Quantum Week. By running a distributed system within an operational data center, the collaboration delivers both proof of viability and a clear, replicable framework for other facilities seeking to integrate quantum enhancements into existing HPC environments.
"The integration of quantum into the fabric of HPC is a critical step towards developing the future of quantum accelerated supercomputing, combining multiple quantum accelerators with many classical accelerators", said Sam Stanwyck, Group Product Manager for Quantum at NVIDIA. "This work shows how the CUDA-Q platform can accelerate progress towards this future with open, performant, and purpose-built software".
This achievement shows how quantum computing can move from theoretical proposals into practical, operational HPC environments. The team will continue to expand algorithmic capabilities, reduce latency, and scale to next-generation quantum systems, accelerating progress toward useful, large-scale quantum computing. For additional technical details, see our blog post ORCA Computing, PCSS and Imperial College collaborate with NVIDIA to demonstrate a distributed quantum neural network in a hybrid HPC environment.
This latest advancement builds on ORCA's pioneering launch of a hybrid quantum-classical platform for AI at PSNC with NVIDIA CUDA-Q, highlighting the strategic collaboration at the intersection of photonic quantum systems and GPU accelerated AI.It also follows Montana State University's deployment of two PT Series photonic computing systems to accelerate distributed quantum computing and deliver practical impact. These efforts add to ORCA's global momentum, with PT Series systems now powering initiatives across Europe, North America, and Asia, including the UK's National Quantum Computing Centre, the UK Ministry of Defence and other leading enterprise and government institutions.
About ORCA Computing
ORCA Computing, headquartered in London, UK, with offices in the United States, is a leading developer and provider of full-stack photonic quantum computing systems. The company delivers an innovative approach to quantum computing, providing robust, high-performance, and data center-standard systems for machine learning, generative AI and optimization workloads. ORCA Computing has successfully delivered ten on-premises quantum computers to leading global customers, including the UK National Quantum Computing Centre, Montana State University, and the Poznan Supercomputing and Networking Center.
For more information, please visit https://orcacomputing.com
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