Quantum could solve AI energy drain, says tech founder. November 9, 2026 11:51 PM EST Quantum computers could curb the vast energy demands of artificial intelligence data centres with their ability to run complex calculations, one of the tech's pioneers told AFP. Australian startup Diraq is conducting the first field test worldwide putting a small quantum computer based on a silicon chip in a commercial data centre in Sydney. Gigawatt-scale energy demand from large data centres - warehouse-like buildings full of servers used to train or run AI tools - requires new power plants or increases pressure on electrical grids, sparking community backlash. But, according to Diraq founder Andrew Dzurak, quantum computing is making the leap out of university labs and will be ready to lift the burden in data centres within five years. "One of the reasons the next generations of AI are looking to consume so much power is that a whole class of the problems they are solving are problems that really are much better suited to quantum calculations," he told AFP. Quantum computers harness the power of quantum mechanics - laws that govern how physics operates at atomic and sub-atomic scales - to process information in ways traditional computers cannot. They usually require extremely cold cryogenic temperatures. But Diraq's model, a self-contained system, draws less than 20 kilowatts of power as it runs alongside a computer humming at room temperature in the data centre. Potential uses beyond powering AI include rapidly and energy-efficiently calculating the "behaviour of molecules that could be used in pharmaceuticals, or much lighter batteries or the chemical industry", Dzurak said. Using quantum for drug trials could boost success by 10 percent and reduce the cost of bringing a new medicine to market by a third, if it runs for under $100 million per year, the company estimates. "It will only happen if we can build quantum computers that are cost-effective," Dzurak said. - Australia's Silicon Valley - Diraq is among six global companies at the third stage of the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) quantum benchmarking initiative - which will test if any quantum computer can solve real problems at a cost that delivers value by 2033. Another Australian startup, PsiQuantum, is also on the DARPA list and backed by a Au$1 billion Australian government investment to build a different model of quantum computer in Queensland state. Construction started in June. The country is experiencing a Silicon Valley moment in quantum, said Dzurak. Australian physicist Michelle Simmons' startup Silicon Quantum Computing was named by Time magazine as having one of the best inventions of 2026, a quantum-enhanced AI chip. Australia has been a global leader in quantum science for decades, partly because of investment in startups emerging from universities, said President of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering Cathy Foley. "Australia has more than 50 quantum-related businesses operating here," she told AFP. But "commercialisation is certainly one of our biggest challenges", she said. "Australia is very good at making discoveries, but turning them into successful businesses requires much more than great science." The Australian government has made quantum a priority through its AUKUS defence technology partnership with Britain and the United States, Foley said. AUKUS has reduced the security barriers for sharing quantum technology between the countries, which has been "essential" for Diraq to work across Australia and its offices in the larger US market, said Dzurak. Diraq's computer installed in Equinix's Sydney data centre has eight quantum bits, or qubits, on a silicon chip. This will be gradually upgraded to 150,000 qubits by 2029. Qubits, the basic unit of information, can store more data and make more advanced calculations faster than classical computers, using quantum mechanics principles. Diraq plans to have a system with two million qubits on a silicon chip that reaches DARPA's definition by 2031, two years ahead of the deadline. "We will have an energy usage of a couple of hundred kilowatts," he said. What does this really mean? Digital Journal Inc. land in your inbox on Tuesdays. You can unsubscribe at any time. With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting its daily lives.

Victorian honey harvesting HiveKeepers among TIME Magazine's top inventions of the year. The startup's Micro Honey Harvester ranks among products from the likes of Apple, Anthropic, and Fujifilm on the annual list. Victorian innovator HiveKeepers is buzzing after TIME Magazine recognised its small-scale honey harvesting device as one of the 300 top inventions for 2026. The annual listing, celebrating new products in fields as diverse as aerospace and fashion, ranks the HiveKeepers Micro Honey Harvester among the 13 best food and beverage breakthroughs of the year. The device allows hobbyist and small-scale beekeepers to harvest small amounts of honey, without the heavy lifting and cleanup associated with traditional harvesting routines. Instead of using a large single frame, the system uses small plastic cassettes, which can be removed from the hive once honeybees have completed their work. Beekepers can insert those cassettes into the main Micro Honey Harvester device, which sits halfway between a food processor and centrifuge. The device spins those honey-laden cells at high speeds, physically extracting the honey without the need to first remove the wax cap. Get the best of Startup Daily straight to your inbox. HiveKeeper began as an offshoot of firefighter Simon Mildren's own beekeeping hobby, and his frustrations with traditional, large-scale honey extraction systems. Mildren developed notepad sketches into working prototypes, including an early model built on a modified salad spinner. "I keep reading the [TIME] list and seeing our name next to Apple and Samsung," Mildren said, in a statement provided to SmartCompany. "I'm a firefighter who got sick of how long it took to harvest honey. I never imagined it would end up here." The HiveKeepers business, which operates as a team of just two people, now sells its harvester through specialist retailers in Australia, New Zealand, and the US. In the UK, its products are sold through the E.H. Thorne beekeeping equipment business. Hivekeepers also ran an oversubscribed Kickstarter campaign in 2025, securing $110,000 from some 170 backers. "To every beekeeper who gave us feedback, every stockist who backed us and every customer who welcomed HiveKeepers into their beekeeping journey: thank you," the business wrote on Instagram. "You helped us get here. "We're incredibly proud to see Australian innovation recognised on this stage. And we're just getting started." Silicon Quantum Computing makes TIME top inventions list. HiveKeepers is not the only Australian business to earn a berth on this year's list, with Sydney's Silicon Quantum Computing appearing on TIME's 2026 list for its Watermelon quantum processing device. Founded by Michelle Simmons, Silicon Quantum Computing says it has merged traditional and quantum processing systems in the Watermelon device. The key use case: accelerating machine learning models, with the company counting Schneider Electric among its customers. The National Reconstruction Fund tipped $40 million into Silicon Quantum Computing in June last year, just three months after a prior $20 million investment. Global brands to share the spotlight with Hivekeepers and Silicon Quantum Computing include Adidas, Asus, Fujifilm, Anthropic, and Braun. * This article first appeared on SmartCompany. You can read the original here.

Quantum Computing: Silicon Quantum Computing building chips. 10/16/2026 Michelle Simmons, a former Australian of the Year and the founder and CEO of Silicon Quantum Computing (SQC), is spearheading a groundbreaking initiative to establish a world-first atomic-scale chip manufacturing plant in Sydney. This development is set to position Australia as a significant player in the global quantum computing race, according to The Age. Revolutionizing Quantum Computing. Simmons announced the establishment of the atomic-scale manufacturing plant during the John Monash Foundation oration, emphasizing its uniqueness as the first of its kind globally. The plant aims to address the growing demand for SQC's products, which currently outpaces their production capabilities, as reported by The Age. Quantum computers, unlike traditional computers that store information as ones and zeros, utilize the quantum states of individual atoms or particles. This allows them to solve complex problems beyond the reach of conventional machines, such as simulating molecules for drug and material design. SQC's chips are crafted by placing individual phosphorus atoms in silicon, a technique developed over 25 years at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), according to WA Today. Strategic implications for tech leaders. The establishment of this plant is not just a technological milestone but also a strategic move that could reshape global tech dynamics. The federal government's $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund has invested $60 million into SQC, highlighting the importance of this initiative. This funding, alongside investments from London-based Firgun Ventures and Tin Alley Ventures, has been crucial for the new facility, as noted by The Age. SQC's first product, the Watermelon chip, is already making waves in the industry. It enhances conventional AI models, improving prediction accuracy by 20% in tests with Schneider Electric. The chip has attracted five paying customers, including major players like Telstra and the Commonwealth Bank, as reported by WA Today. Future prospects and challenges. Simmons is confident in SQC's timeline to develop a full, error-correcting quantum computer by 2033, drawing parallels to the evolution of conventional computing from the first transistor to personal computers. The new plant is expected to make Sydney a hub for atomic-scale manufacturing, with much of its supply chain already based in Australia, according to The Age. For women in tech leadership, this initiative underscores the potential for significant advancements in quantum computing and its applications in AI and other fields. It also highlights the importance of strategic investments and partnerships in driving technological innovation. Conclusion. Michelle Simmons' leadership in establishing this quantum computing plant marks a pivotal moment for Australia in the tech industry. As the global race for quantum supremacy intensifies, initiatives like these will be crucial in shaping the future of computing and technology.