Baidu, the Chinese search engine company, is relinquishing its quantum computing division by contributing its entire research facility to the government-operated Beijing Academy of Quantum Information Sciences (BAQIS). Discussions are currently underway between the two entities regarding the specifics of this donation.
Established in early 2018, Baidu’s quantum computing facilities aimed to position the company as a leading global quantum computing research institution within five years. The focus areas included quantum AI, algorithms, and architecture. In 2022, Baidu unveiled its first quantum computer featuring 10 superconducting qubits, followed by the development of a 36-qubit quantum chip.
Baidu further advanced its quantum computing infrastructure by creating quantum software-hardware interfaces, a “quantum operating system,” and a cloud-based quantum machine-learning platform. In March 2023, Baidu and BAQIS jointly launched China’s inaugural quantum computing intellectual property alliance, with the goal of fostering innovation in the industry.
This move by Baidu mirrors a similar decision by Alibaba, the Chinese e-commerce giant, which surrendered its quantum research facilities in November of the previous year.
Alibaba’s Damo Academy, a research institution, donated its quantum lab to Zhejiang University. Despite having invested £12 billion in quantum technologies over the past decade, Alibaba is redirecting its focus to fundamental research in AI and its application in sectors such as agriculture and healthcare.
