Quantum computing has been a buzzword graveyard. Too many press releases. Too few breakthroughs.
Until now. Oliver Dial, CTO of IBM Quantum, joins us to talk about the chip that changes everything: Starling.This is IBM’s first processor designed for real-time quantum error correction, the holy grail that turns flaky quantum prototypes into reliable, industrial-grade machines.
Forget qubit counts. Starling is built to scale.
Backed by $30 billion in R&D, this isn’t science fiction. This is IBM swinging for fault tolerance by 2029, with a roadmap targeting a 1:1000 ratio of logical to physical qubits. Translation? The first quantum systems that might actually matter.
Inside this episode:
- Why error mitigation is not enough, and what comes next
- What a logical qubit really is, and why you need thousands of physical ones to protect it
- How IBM plans to leap from lab demos to world-changing simulations
- What quantum means for chemistry, materials, finance, and optimization
- Why Starling is going to work
And no, you don’t need a PhD to follow this. If you’re curious, you’re qualified.
This is Thinking on Paper. We break it down so you walk away actually understanding why fault tolerance is the moment quantum grows up, and how IBM plans to get there first.Please enjoy the show. And share with a curious friend.
--
Links and resources:
IBM Quantum: https://quantum.ibm.com/
Starling press release: https://newsroom.ibm.com/2025-06-10-I...
Blog: https://www.ibm.com/quantum/blog/larg...
IBM Roadmap updates: • 2025 IBM Quantum Roadmap update
Follow Thinking On Paper:
Thinking On Paper: https://www.thinkingonpaper.xyz/
--
Chapters
(00:00) IBM's Quantum Investment
(02:11) The IBM Roadmap to Quantum Advantage
(05:00) Error Mitigation vs. Fault Tolerance
(07:47) The Hybrid Quantum-Classical Approach
(10:18) Physical vs. Logical Qubits
(12:45) Magic States and Universal Quantum Computing
(15:15) Loon, Kookaburra & Future IBM Developme
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.