IBM's quantum computer has completed a calculation in 19 seconds that a supercomputer could need about a century to finish, according to ScienceAlert. The outlet published the report on Monday, September 28, 2026.
The comparison puts the gap between quantum and classical machines at roughly nine orders of magnitude for this particular task. ScienceAlert frames the result as a demonstration of how quickly quantum hardware can work through problems that would be impractical for conventional supercomputers.
Quantum computers process information using qubits, which behave differently from the bits used in standard machines. That difference is what allows a quantum system to reach an answer far faster on certain kinds of problems, though the approach does not apply to every type of calculation.
The report does not specify which task IBM's machine performed, how many qubits it used, or how the century-long estimate for a supercomputer was calculated. Those details would matter for judging how broadly the result applies beyond this single test.
IBM has been among the companies pushing quantum hardware forward, and results like this one are typically presented as milestones rather than finished products. Practical, general-purpose quantum computing is still widely described as a work in progress.
What to watch next: whether IBM or ScienceAlert publishes the technical specifics behind the 19-second run, including the problem itself and the basis for the supercomputer comparison.
