Reading-based tech firm Oxford Quantum Circuits (OQC) has teamed up with global hyperscaler Digital Realty to open a New York City-based data centre powered by quantum computing and artificial intelligence.
The partnership between OQC and Digital Realty forms an integral part of a UK-US tech trade partnership to coincide with US President Donald Trump’s State Visit to the UK this week.
Described as a world-first facility by both firms, it’ll be based at Digital Realty’s JFK10 facility on 111 8th Avenue in the Chelsea area of Manhattan, New York.
The first New York City data centre to sport a quantum computer, it’ll house the OCQ GENESIS quantum computer and NVIDIA Grace Hopper Superchips to power quantum and AI applications and “hybrid workloads” for industries such as finance and security.
Additionally, it’s hoped this facility will further progress in the AI industry by improving how AI models are trained and how their underlying datasets are generated.
As part of its collaboration with NVIDIA, OQC plans to make upcoming iterations of its quantum computing products more scalable by combining them with “accelerated computing” from the American chipmaker.
Jack Boyer, chair of OQC, said in a statement: “Working with Digital Realty and using NVIDIA supercomputing here in the United States, OQC demonstrates how the UK and US can lead together in the responsible deployment of frontier technologies for finance and security.”
Science Minister Patrick Vallance estimated that, by 2045, quantum computing could inject £212b into Britain’s economy and, at the same time, generate job opportunities in the “tens of thousands”.
He added: “OQC’s launch of the first quantum computer in New York City showcases British tech excellence and strengthens our transatlantic ties. And the industry’s first quantum-AI data centre will put British innovation at the heart of next-gen computing – delivering speed, scale and security to tackle problems today’s tech is yet to grasp.”
