Quantinuum and RIKEN deepen quantum-AI partnership after Japan computer upgrade

Researchers at Japan’s RIKEN have an upgraded quantum computer for work combining quantum computing, supercomputers and AI. Quantinuum and RIKEN announced a broader partnership on November 10, 2026, following Reimei’s move to System Model H2. The effort links scientific experiments already underway with plans for Japanese hardware development and possible commercial access through AI data centers.

The completed upgrade is the immediate change behind the announcement. Reimei operates within RIKEN’s JHPC-quantum project, funded by Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization, or NEDO. The partners say the H2 system will let researchers investigate more complex quantum systems that are increasingly difficult to simulate using classical computing alone.

Quantum data feeds the AI experiments

Two research projects began operating on Reimei before the public launch of its services, according to the announcement. They show how the partners are combining the machines: one uses quantum-generated data to train an AI model, while the other brings quantum computing, a supercomputer and an AI agent into a biomolecular simulation.

• Materials simulation: RIKEN’s ROQUO supercomputer, which uses graphics processing units, trains an AI model on data generated by Reimei for magnetism simulations. The partners say preliminary results suggest more accurate predictions than AI models trained only on classical simulations, and more precise predictions than the quantum computer itself. Understanding magnetism at the atomic level could inform materials for technologies such as ultra-high-field MRI and smart power grids.
• Biomolecular simulation: The second project combines Reimei, RIKEN’s Fugaku supercomputer and an NVIDIA evolutionary AI agent running on ROQUO. It targets a complex photoactive biomolecule—a biological molecule that responds to light—with the aim of reaching greater simulation scale and detail. The partners identify more efficient solar cells as one possible application of a better understanding of that response, alongside other opportunities in biomolecular engineering.

These projects sit within a wider plan to develop uses across electronics, energy and life sciences. RIKEN says the expanded collaboration also supports its AI for Science initiative, extending the partnership’s research beyond the operation of the upgraded machine.

Furthermore, the newly signed Memorandum of Understanding will pave the way for expanding our research into the use of quantum computing for AI for Science, a key initiative being promoted by RIKEN.

Mitsuhisa Sato, division director, Quantum-HPC Hybrid Platform Division, RIKEN Center for Computational Science

A Japanese computer and a commercial connection

The hardware-development work will involve Japanese universities and domestic component suppliers. Quantinuum and RIKEN intend to combine Quantinuum’s quantum technology with Japanese research and manufacturing expertise to develop a fault-tolerant “Made with Japan” quantum computer. Their experience integrating and operating Reimei will inform that effort. It is a development goal, distinct from the H2 upgrade that has already been completed.

Under a separate agreement included in the partnership expansion, Quantinuum, RIKEN and SoftBank will explore connecting quantum computers directly to AI data centers in Japan. The work includes assessing infrastructure readiness and examining how connected systems could support commercial quantum-AI computing services. The objective is to broaden access beyond the research community, rather than limit the platform’s capabilities to scientific institutions.

SoftBank’s stated ambition is a “Quantum AI Datacenter” that connects quantum computing with AI and high-performance computing—the supercomputing resources used for demanding calculations. Takenori Kobayashi, its head of product research and development, described the goal as making those capabilities accessible to businesses across Japan. That commercial connection remains an exploration, not an operating service announced with the upgrade.