IBM today launched the Qiskit Functions Catalog, a new set of services that aims to make programming quantum computers easier by abstracting away many of the complexities of working with these machines. “I do think it’s the next big transition since we put the quantum computer on the cloud,” Jay Gambetta, IBM’s VP in charge of its quantum programs, said. “I’m looking forward to seeing what it can do, and the only way that’s possible is with performant hardware, of course, but also performant software.
To me, I’m as excited as when I put the quantum computer on the cloud to see how the community will react to it.”
Quantum computers continue to improve in size and capability. While we’re still a few years away from machines that can run algorithms which would be infeasible on classical computers, the current generation is already usable for a limited set of experiments. However, developing applications for this hardware remains a challenge.
Launched in 2017, Qiskit is one of several quantum programming frameworks, alongside Microsoft’s Q# and Google’s Cirq, but it is likely the most widely used. The idea behind the Functions Catalog is to enable domain experts — who may not be experts in managing quantum computers — to start using quantum computing. For instance, companies are integrating unique error mitigation methods into the functions catalog.
IBM’s approach involves working with the wider quantum computing industry to create this library of functions, similar to how classical programming relies on existing libraries.
Qiskit functions simplify quantum programming
Partners like Q-CTRL, Algorithmiq, and QunaSys are contributing services focusing on error mitigation and ground state energy estimation problems, which have fundamental applications in chemistry.
“What has driven the progress of software and compute in the classical world of abstraction is becoming a reality in the quantum world,” Gambetta said. In the early days, quantum developers had to figure out how to map their algorithms to specific quantum circuits. Qiskit has abstracted many of these complexities, and now the Functions Catalog further simplifies this process, allowing non-experts to apply quantum computing to their problems.
Gambetta emphasized that this innovation would eventually unlock quantum computing’s potential. The focus is on continuous innovation in both software and hardware, combined with contributions from a broader partner ecosystem, to simplify the developer experience. Currently, the Functions Catalog is not explicitly targeting enterprise developers but is making quantum computing more accessible by enabling a wider range of experts, from physicists to chemists, to leverage these advances.
IBM also benchmarked Qiskit against other quantum software development kits like BQSKit, Braket, Cirq, Stak, and TKET. The results showed that Qiskit, which IBM has been rewriting in Rust to enhance performance, typically outperforms other SDKs by a wide margin. It was notably faster at transpiling and producing circuits, and it created more efficient circuits in the process.
This launch marks a significant step towards making quantum computing more accessible and practical for a broader audience, fostering innovation and expanding the potential applications of quantum technology.
