Amazon has become the latest tech giant to announce a significant development in quantum computing, a technology that promises groundbreaking processing power but still faces major challenges. The company has introduced Ocelot, a prototype chip built on “cat qubit” technology, aiming to solve one of the biggest hurdles in quantum computing—error correction.

The Ocelot chip is named after Schrödinger’s famous “cat-in-a-box” thought experiment, and it could be key to advancing quantum computers by reducing errors that have slowed their development. Amazon believes that, alongside recent breakthroughs in the field, the timeline for practical quantum computers could be shorter than expected.

A New Era for Quantum Computing
Oskar Painter, from Amazon Web Services (AWS) Center for Quantum Computing at the California Institute of Technology, told BBC that quantum computing is now on a more promising path. He mentioned that a previously distant goal of having usable quantum computers within the next decade is now “looking more and more realistic.” Just five years ago, he predicted that it might take 20 to 30 years, but that timeline has dramatically shortened.

Ultimately, AWS aims to offer quantum computing services to its customers, and Amazon believes these advanced machines could significantly optimize its global logistics operations, potentially leading to a major increase in efficiency. “Even a small improvement can have huge financial impact for a company like Amazon,” said Painter.

What Are Cat Qubits?
Quantum computers solve problems using the unique properties of quantum physics, allowing them to tackle issues far beyond the reach of traditional computers, such as discovering new medicines or improving battery technology. However, one of the key obstacles is their extreme sensitivity to environmental interference like noise, heat, and electromagnetic waves, which cause errors. These errors must be corrected, making quantum computing a complex process.

Cat qubits are designed to address this issue by integrating error resistance into the qubits themselves. Qubits are the building blocks of quantum computers, similar to bits in regular computers. Named after physicist Erwin Schrödinger’s cat-in-a-box thought experiment, cat qubits aim to reduce the need for error correction, which can be costly and complicated.

Amazon’s new chip, which incorporates five cat qubits from a total of 14 components, could lower the costs of error correction by up to 90%, compared to traditional methods. While Amazon is leading in this area, other companies, like French firm Alice & Bob, have also contributed to advancing cat qubit technology.

Challenges Ahead
Despite the promise, scaling up cat qubit technology to create larger, more powerful quantum computers remains a challenge. Michael Cuthbert, director of the UK’s National Quantum Computing Centre, acknowledged Amazon’s progress but emphasized the need for further breakthroughs. “Error correction is a crucial step for making quantum computing practical and commercial,” he said.

Scaling quantum computing systems efficiently—without increasing chip size, energy consumption, or complexity—is key to their widespread use in industries such as chemistry, medicine, and logistics.

Amazon’s Impact on the Industry
Amazon’s announcement joins similar news from Microsoft and Google, raising questions about whether these breakthroughs are a result of genuine research or strategic PR. Heather West, a quantum computing analyst at the International Data Corporation, described Amazon’s announcement as an “advancement” rather than a major breakthrough.

She noted that the industry is shifting its focus from just increasing the number of qubits to improving the ability to use quantum systems at scale and solving the error correction problem. However, Amazon’s team agrees that scaling up these experimental systems will not be easy.

As the quantum computing race heats up, Amazon’s innovative work with cat qubits could play a significant role in shaping the future of this powerful technology.