Aramco deploys Saudi Arabia’s first quantum computer in Dhahran

Saudi Aramco, one of the world’s leading integrated energy and chemicals companies, has successfully deployed Saudi Arabia’s first quantum computer, and the region’s first dedicated to industrial applications.

The breakthrough for the Middle East’s technology landscape was achieved in partnership with France’s Pasqal, a global leader in neutral-atom quantum computing. The quantum computer was inaugurated at Aramco’s data centre in Dhahran.

Aramco said the successful deployment “marks a pivotal step in building regional expertise and accelerating the development of quantum applications across the energy, materials, and industrial sectors in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the broader Middle East”.

Ahmad Al-Khowaiter, Aramco EVP of Technology & Innovation, commented: “Aramco is an established technology leader, which continues to innovate through the development and deployment of advanced digital solutions that have tangible benefits.

“We are deploying AI and other technologies at scale to further enhance our operations, maximise efficiency and unlock value across our business. Our partnership with Pasqal is a natural progression and we are thrilled to pioneer next-generation quantum capabilities, harnessing significant opportunities presented by this new frontier in computing.”

The installed Pasqal’s system can control 200 qubits arranged in programmable two-dimensional arrays, offering a platform suitable for exploring advanced quantum algorithms and real-world use cases relevant to industrial operations.

As part of the partnership, Pasqal will also provide training programs and joint research opportunities for Saudi engineers and scientists, strengthening the Kingdom’s quantum ecosystem and supporting the development of high-tech talent.

Loïc Henriet, Pasqal CEO, added: “This is a historic milestone with Aramco. The deployment of our most powerful quantum computer yet is a piece of history and a landmark for the Middle East’s quantum future. Pasqal continues its expansion, delivering practical quantum power to industry.”

Wa’ed Ventures, part of Aramco’s venture capital program, initially invested in Pasqal in January 2023, making it one of the company’s early strategic investors. Since then, Wa’ed Ventures has actively supported Pasqal’s efforts to localise its technologies and operations in Saudi Arabia, enabling the company to build a strong presence in the Kingdom.

Pasqal, established in 2019, is a leading quantum computing company that builds quantum processors from ordered neutral atoms in 2D arrays to bring a practical quantum advantage and address real-world problems. Founded in 2019 out of the Institut d’Optique by Georges-Olivier Reymond, Christophe Jurczak, Professor Dr Alain Aspect, Nobel Prize Laureate Physics, 2022, Dr Antoine Browaeys, and Dr Thierry Lahaye, Pasqal has secured more than EUR140 million (US$161.3mn) in financing to date.