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Comments on IBM's Acquisition of the HRL Laboratories
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Fusion42 · 24 July 2026 · Fusion42 review
IBM acquires HRL Laboratories to secure spin qubit technology as a hedge against superconducting qubit obsolescence, similar to how Google and IonQ are diversifying their quantum hardware approaches. The acquisition also positions HRL's technology within IBM's established quantum ecosystem and the federally-backed Anderon quantum foundry.
◆ ◆ The Wire takeaway
If you're building quantum software or control systems, you now have two competing quantum modalities with commercial backing instead of one—superconducting qubits just became optional rather than inevitable. IBM betting billions on spin qubits as the backup plan means the winners in quantum will be those who can run on either, not those who bet the company on superconducting dominance.
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