HP combines Cray supercomputers with quantum systems: a new era of hybrid computing
A major step in high-performance computing: Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) has officially expanded its collaboration with leading players in the quantum industry — Intel, IQM, Qblox, Quantinuum, QuEra Computing, Quantum Machines, Rigetti, and Riverlane. The goal is to create a full-fledged hybrid architecture that combines classical supercomputing capabilities of HPE Cray with quantum processors.
The project involves deep integration: quantum chips, control systems, and error correction modules will be directly linked to the supercomputing platform. As part of the initiative, partners will deploy specialized testbeds where joint algorithm development, software compatibility testing, and evaluation of real-world performance of hybrid systems in solving complex computational tasks will take place.
Special attention is paid to practical aspects: HPE aims not just to demonstrate a concept but to create a working prototype capable of efficiently distributing workloads between classical and quantum modules. This opens the way to solving problems inaccessible to either type of system alone — from modeling molecular structures to optimizing supply chains and financial modeling.
From my professional perspective, this is a landmark moment for the entire industry. Integrating Cray supercomputers with quantum processors from such diverse players as Rigetti (superconducting qubits) and QuEra (neutral atoms) signals market maturity. We are moving from the era of laboratory experiments to the era of practical hybrid infrastructure, where quantum accelerators become part of the standard computing stack. However, the key challenge will remain creating reliable software to manage such a heterogeneous environment — this is where the main tests will take place.