The U.S. aims to build a fault tolerant quantum computer, setting a milestone that could unlock scientific problems beyond classical computing.
The U.S. Department of Energy has launched Quantum Genesis, a new initiative aimed at developing and deploying the world’s first scientifically relevant fault tolerant quantum computing capability by 2028. The effort forms part of the broader Genesis Mission, which seeks to accelerate scientific discovery through next generation computing technologies.
While quantum computers have advanced rapidly in recent years, they remain vulnerable to errors that limit their usefulness in practical applications. Fault tolerant systems are designed to overcome these limitations, allowing reliable execution of complex quantum operations. Achieving this milestone could enable breakthroughs in areas such as materials discovery, chemistry, energy research, and fundamental physics that remain difficult or impossible for classical computers to solve.
To achieve its goal, the initiative will focus on three key areas. The first is the DOE Q Competition, which aims to demonstrate fault tolerant quantum systems with logical qubit counts in the low hundreds by 2028. These systems will be developed for scientific applications including chemistry, materials science, plasma physics, and high energy physics.
The second element is the creation of a National Quantum Supercomputing User Facility. The facility will provide researchers access to advanced quantum systems and integrate them with high performance computing infrastructure, artificial intelligence platforms, and national research networks. The objective is to create a unified AI, HPC, and quantum computing ecosystem for scientific discovery.
The initiative will also support focused research and development efforts to identify and advance high impact quantum applications. Universities, national laboratories, and industry partners will collaborate to define scientific challenges that can guide future quantum system development.
Quantum Genesis builds on years of federal investment in quantum information science, including the National Quantum Initiative Act and DOE research centers. If successful, the program could mark the transition of quantum computing from an experimental technology to a practical scientific tool for large-scale discovery.
