On February 27, Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced Ocelot, a new quantum computing chip that it claims can reduce the number of qubits required for implementing quantum error correction by up to 90%.
AWS positions itself as a quantum hardware contributor for the first time with this announcement. Amazon’s quantum cloud computing service, Braket, has focused on offering experimentation with various quantum computing vendors and types of hardware, but this is the first time AWS has signaled that it wants to develop its own quantum computing chip. Even so, it may be doing this more as proof of concept, hoping to contribute to the field without necessarily planning to compete commercially as a quantum hardware provider.
The problem with quantum computing is that qubits are fragile. Tiny disturbances, like heat, shaking, or even a phone signal, can mess them up and cause mistakes. Normally, fixing these mistakes requires lots of extra qubits, which makes quantum computers costly and tough to build.
AWS claims the method for error correction demonstrated on Ocelot can fix this. It uses a special qubit it calls a “cat qubit,” named after the infamous Schrödinger's Cat. These cat qubits are engineered to avoid certain types of errors autonomously. AWS also built error-fixing tricks directly into the chip from the beginning, instead of adding them later. They claim this cuts error-fixing costs by up to 90% compared to other methods.
Quantum computers need special environments to store them. For stability, quantum computers are usually kept in super-cold conditions, close to absolute zero – around -459°F (-273°C), according to Phys.org. – colder than outer space!
AWS Ocelot. The chip consists of two 1cm2 silicon microchips sandwiched together with a thin film of the superconductor tantalum, which Amazon says it processed for faster oscillation. It runs five functional cat qubits. (Source: AWS. Used with permission.)
AWS says, “Developed by the team at the AWS Center for Quantum Computing at the California Institute of Technology, Ocelot represents a breakthrough in the pursuit to build fault-tolerant quantum computers capable of solving problems of commercial and scientific importance that are beyond the reach of today’s conventional computers.”
In Info-Tech’s Tech Trends 2025 report, we identified “Quantum Advantage” as the opportunity trend within the Pre-Quantum Foundations technology theme. By harnessing the principles of quantum mechanics, quantum computing can offer a new base fundamental unit for computing. Instead of the bit of classical computing, locked in a binary 1 or 0 representation, quantum computing uses qubits, which can represent a 1, a 0, or both simultaneously. This allows quantum computers to perform calculations that on a classical computer would either take an exceedingly long time or just not be feasible.
Our Take
It is a significant pivot for AWS, a cloud service titan, to join the ranks of quantum hardware–developing companies like Google, Microsoft, and IBM and players like IonQ, Rigetti, and D-Wave Quantum. This move signals AWS’ intent to deepen its stake in the quantum ecosystem. CIOs and CTOs should keep an eye on how AWS is developing its quantum plans compared to other players in the field. Sophisticated enterprises looking to experiment with cloud computing can access other vendors’ qubits via the cloud. For now, AWS’ approach to error correction will be the territory of quantum physicists.
If anything, AWS expresses a conservative view on when quantum computing will deliver practical applications. AWS Director of Quantum Hardware Oskar Painter estimated between 10 and 20 years before that is achieved. Don't worry about reshuffling your infrastructure budget just yet – quantum computing won't really matter for most businesses until we have systems that can reliably correct their own errors. While everyone (including AWS) is making steady progress there, we're not seeing any dramatic breakthroughs.
For now, Info-Tech’s advice for most organizations is to prepare for the post-quantum era by creating a plan to migrate encryption standards to be resilient against future quantum computers. Even if practical quantum computing is a decade away or more, organizations must fend off “harvest now, decrypt later” attacks today.
