IBM unveils its most advanced quantum computer in Chicago

The IBM Quantum System Two, powered by a 120-qubit Nighthawk r2 processor, went live in Hyde Park on November 6, 2026 IBM has switched on its most advanced quantum computer, and it chose Chicago as the place to do it. The IBM Quantum System Two was activated on November 6, 2026, in the city’s Hyde Park neighborhood. It runs on the 120-qubit Nighthawk r2 processor, the company’s latest bet that quantum machines are ready to do useful work. What IBM actually turned on The new system is currently housed at the University of Chicago. That address is temporary. IBM plans to move it to the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park, known as the IQMP. The park is still under construction on the former U.S. Steel South Works site. The star of the show is the processor. Nighthawk r2 packs 120 qubits, the basic units of quantum information. Nighthawk uses a square-lattice topology, which offers improved connectivity over IBM’s earlier designs. The numbers behind the hardware IBM’s Nighthawk architecture delivers approximately 30% greater circuit complexity than the company’s previous Heron-class processors. The stated goal is ambitious. IBM is aiming for quantum advantage by the end of 2026...