Interview: Chad Rigetti, CEO and Founder, Rigetti Computing

As one of the leading sponsors at Quantum.Tech Europe 2022, we caught up with Chad Rigetti, CEO and Founder, Rigetti Computing to share his thoughts on their UK quantum computer launch, their relationship with UKRI and where Rigetti Computing see the quantum landscape in the coming years.

What can you tell us about your UK quantum computer launch? What does this offer to potential UK partners?

In 2020, Rigetti was selected by the U.K. government to lead a consortium to accelerate the commercialization of quantum computing in the UK. Launching our first UK-based quantum computer means that our UK partners now have access to our 32-qubit Aspen-series system to continue carrying out research and development towards quantum advantage. This launch is an exciting milestone, and we believe that by enabling cloud access to the system, our UK partners will be closer to unlocking the potential of quantum computing to address their most pressing problems.

You have stated that your major vision is ‘to integrate QPUs into the fabric of the cloud.’ Can you tell us any more about that?

Rigetti has been delivering QPUs over the cloud since 2017. Cloud delivery allows our customers and partners to access our latest systems to power their research and development pursuits. We believe that over the next decade, quantum computing will be tightly integrated into the fabric of the cloud. What this means is that end users won’t need to discriminate between quantum or classical compute resources. They will simply interact with applications. They will run calculations on the cloud that will tap into the right computer, at the right time, to solve their problems. This is underpinned by our hybrid computing architecture, which tightly integrates our quantum processors with classical computing infrastructures. We believe that pairing our cloud delivery model with our hybrid infrastructure is the most practical path towards quantum advantage and will be the foundation for the industry for years to come.

What is the relationship between Rigetti and the UKRI?

Our recently deployed UK quantum computer is backed by funding from the UK government’s Quantum Technologies Challenge, led by UKRI. This milestone is part of a Rigetti-led consortium that includes Oxford Instruments, the University of Edinburgh, Phasecraft, and Standard Chartered Bank. Our goal is to advance practical quantum computing applications in the areas of machine learning, materials simulation and finance.

Do you see the UK as one of the leading centres of quantum innovation?

The UK has a vibrant quantum computing ecosystem. It has a winning combination of quantum expertise at the many UK-based quantum computing startups, industries that are early pioneers in quantum, deep talent in academia, and the support of the UK government to accelerate the industry. The UK’s early adoption and commitment to advancing quantum computing technologies makes it a prime destination for quantum talent and growth. This is a major reason why Rigetti chose to expand its operations here.

You are a gold sponsor at Quantum.Tech Europe. What makes the show so unique for you?

Quantum.Tech draws quantum computing leaders from across industry, academia and government. The ability to connect with quantum computing innovators and experts in one place is an incredible opportunity. Our field moves faster when we work together, so being able to hear directly from our peers who are equally passionate about using quantum technologies to solve our most challenging problems is invaluable.

Want to hear more from Chad Rigetti on the strides Rigetti Computing are making to push forward the quantum boundaries? Make sure you register your spot for Quantum.Tech Europe here today and hear Chad participate on The Path to Commercialization: A roadmap update from the leading processor providers panel at 11:45am on day 1 of Quantum.Tech Europe alongside Ilyas Khan, KSG, CEO and Founder, Quantinuum, Bob Sutor, Vice President, Corporate Development, ColdQuanta and Murray Thom, VP Product Management, D-Wave