Researchers from Microsoft and Qolab define Scalable Logical Qubits for useful quantum computers
Microsoft and Qolab researchers have specified conditions a logical qubit must meet to be considered scalable for utility-scale quantum computing. Their definition requires that logical qubits can be preserved through repeated quantum error correction over long computations, be replicated to hundreds or thousands, and support fault-tolerant universal operations. They also identify low-latency real-time decoding and feedback as necessary for such qubits.
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What this could mean
- 0–2 yearsPlausible
Within two years, this definition could become a common evaluation framework used by hardware teams when reporting logical qubit milestones, making cross-platform comparisons more systematic.
Multiple hardware developers are now demonstrating small numbers of logical qubits, and standardised criteria are needed to assess progress toward utility-scale systems. If the peer-reviewed literature adopts this definition from Microsoft and Qolab, it could serve as a de facto benchmark for what counts as a scalable logical qubit.
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