PredictionHardwareDelivered
IBM Nighthawk to run 7,500-gate circuits by the end of 2026
Due 2026
IBM says future versions of its Nighthawk processor, which launched able to run circuits with up to 5,000 two-qubit gates, will handle up to 7,500 gates by the end of 2026 and up to 10,000 gates in 2027.
- Predicted by
- IBM
- Type
- Official company roadmap
- Said on
- Nov 12, 2025
- Original deadline
- by the end of 2026 (2026)
- Status
- Delivered
Outcome
Aug 31, 2026: IBM reports that Nighthawk r2, available on its cloud platform since August 2026, gave accurate results on circuits with 7,500 gates using an error-mitigation method (PEA). It was shown on a single 120-qubit chip; the three-module version in IBM's 2026 roadmap has not been shown yet.
Outcome sources
-
IBM Quantum Blog
IBM Quantum Nighthawk r2—more circuits, faster
“Additionally, Nighthawk r2 has demonstrated accurate observable estimation using Probabilistic Error Amplification (PEA) on circuits containing 7,500 gates.”
-
Quantum Computing Report
IBM Releases Nighthawk r2 QPU Featuring Active Dissipative Qubit Reset and 25x Circuit Throughput
“Nighthawk r2 ticked off a primary 2026 IBM Quantum Roadmap target by demonstrating accurate observable estimation via Probabilistic Error Amplification (PEA) on circuits containing over 7,500 gates.”
Sources (2)
-
IBM Newsroom
IBM Delivers New Quantum Processors, Software, and Algorithm Breakthroughs on Path to Advantage and Fault Tolerance
“IBM expects future iterations of Nighthawk to deliver up to 7,500 gates by the end of 2026 and then up to 10,000 gates in 2027.”
-
IBM Technology Atlas
IBM Quantum Roadmap 2026
“Paired with techniques that reduce errors, Nighthawk is expected to run circuits with 7,500 gates in 2026 in with up to three 120-qubit modules (360 qubits), 10,000 gates in 2027, and 15,000 gates in 2028.”
Each quote above was checked automatically against the original page. Added Oct 15, 2026. Spotted an error? Tell us and we will review it.