Diraq Brings Eight-Qubit Silicon Quantum Computer Online in Sydney

Diraq has activated an eight-qubit silicon spin quantum computer inside an Equinix data center in Sydney, placing it alongside conventional servers and GPUs as the Australian company tests how quantum hardware operates in a commercial facility.

The system came online around Nov. 9-10. It occupies about 170 square feet, and the full assembly draws less than 20 kilowatts. The installation gives Diraq a way to test quantum hardware alongside standard data center equipment.

Diraq’s qubits use silicon, a material used in semiconductor manufacturing. The company plans to expand the system to 256 qubits within the next year. The upgrade could happen through chip swaps, keeping the surrounding hardware in place while replacing the processor.

The company’s longer-term targets are 150,000 physical qubits by 2029 and more than 2 million by 2031. Diraq’s stated goal is utility-scale operation on a single chip. Those figures describe the company’s roadmap; the Sydney system currently has eight qubits.

In October, Diraq advanced to Stage C of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative. Stage C assesses whether teams’ proposed systems can be constructed and run as planned. Diraq’s progression was part of broader quantum-computing initiatives announced by the Department of War.

The near-term step in Diraq’s plan is the expansion to 256 qubits within the next year. The company has also set 2029 and 2031 targets for larger systems, with the Sydney installation serving as a place to test the hardware alongside conventional computing equipment.