HPC Community Urged to Embrace Early Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computing

A new report from Alice & Bob and Hyperion Research emphasizes the urgent need for the high-performance computing (HPC) community to prepare for the integration of early fault-tolerant quantum computing (eFTQC). Released on September 11, 2025, the study, titled “Seizing Quantum’s Edge: Why and How HPC Should Prepare for eFTQC,” outlines how these advanced quantum technologies can surpass classical supercomputing capabilities within the next five years.

The report highlights the potential of eFTQC to enhance solutions in critical HPC applications, significantly benefiting areas such as materials science and quantum chemistry. Bob Sorensen, senior vice president and chief analyst for quantum computing at Hyperion Research, stated that “Quantum technologies are a pivotal opportunity for the HPC community, offering the potential to significantly accelerate a wide range of critical science and engineering applications in the near-term.” He added that early preparation is essential, as the integration of these machines will not be straightforward.

As classical HPC systems face limitations in transistor size and energy efficiency, performance gains have slowed considerably over the past decade. In contrast, the time frame for practical quantum applications is rapidly decreasing. The report notes a dramatic reduction in the resources needed to execute Shor’s algorithm, with estimates dropping by a factor of 1,000.

Preparing for the Quantum Revolution

The report projects that within five years, quantum computers equipped with 100 to 1,000 logical qubits and logical error rates ranging from 10^-6 to 10^-10 will enable significant advancements in scientific computing. These improvements will initially focus on materials science and will quickly extend to fields like quantum chemistry and fusion energy simulations. Théau Peronnin, CEO of Alice & Bob, highlighted the benefits for HPC users: “HPC users will see benefits in accuracy, time-to-solution, and computational cost as hybrid HPC-quantum workflows shift some computationally complex subproblems to quantum processors.”

To remain competitive, HPC centres must actively engage in co-designing these hybrid workflows alongside users and vendors. This collaboration is crucial for creating efficient software and hardware infrastructure, while also deploying eFTQC prototypes to gain early market advantages. The report outlines strategies for integrating eFTQC with existing GPUs and CPUs, providing recommendations for application code development, hybrid software stack construction, and user training for effective adoption.

Building a Quantum-Ready Workforce

To maximize the advantages of quantum processing, the report advises HPC centres to explore heterogeneous workloads by partnering with quantum technology vendors. Juliette Peyronnet, US general manager at Alice & Bob and co-author of the report, remarked, “The HPC community has always been quick to adopt disruptive architectures – from vector processors to GPUs – and quantum computing is no exception.”

The findings serve as a call to action for HPC centres to initiate preparations for the integration of eFTQC. By doing so, they can harness the next major accelerator in high-performance computing, ensuring they remain at the forefront of technological advancements in the field.