ETH Zürich News
IBM and ETH Zurich established a 10-year research agreement on 2026 to revolutionize computational science. The core algorithms for a new era when AI and quantum computing address the world’s most complex problems are being developed by this ambitious endeavor.
IBM funds new professorships at ETH Zurich and a variety of joint research and student activities, investing in the future of information technology. To bridge classical computing, machine learning, and quantum mechanics, a new algorithmic architecture is needed, not just improvements to existing systems.
A Legacy of Innovation: 70 Years in the Making
Their 10-year commitment is new, but their bond is not. IBM and ETH Zurich have been close since IBM first established itself in Switzerland seven decades ago. Ambrose Speiser, a young professor of computer science at ETH at the time, was appointed as the first director of the IBM Research Zurich lab in 1956 by Thomas Watson Jr.
Since its founding, the Zurich lab has developed into a major worldwide force, winning two Nobel Prizes and making groundbreaking discoveries that resulted in high-performance scientific computing and nanoscale semiconductors. In contrast, ETH Zurich has an incredible history of 22 Nobel Prizes, one of which was given to Albert Einstein, its most well-known alumnus. Applied research has continuously advanced with this long-standing “winning formula” of talent exchange between university and industry.
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Beyond Addition: The “AI x Quantum” Multiplier Effect
“AI times quantum” is the idea that Alessandro Curioni, Director of IBM Research Zurich, describes as the core of this new chapter. The partnership views quantum computing as an enabling engine that will enable AI to become exponentially more powerful rather than as distinct domains.
According to Curioni, “the future will not be AI plus quantum, but AI times quantum because quantum computing will be broader than it is today.” According to his theory, classical computing will eventually be a subset of a larger quantum engine, and quantum mechanics will finally overtake classical mechanics in the computer stack. IBM is currently using AI to develop new quantum algorithms and enhance their hardware performance, which is expected to have a multiplier effect and affect 95% of the issues in business and science.
Solving the “Unsolvable” in Science and Industry
Four crucial mathematical underpinnings will be the focus of the partnership’s research efforts:
- Optimization and combinatorial problems
- Differential equations and dynamical systems
- Linear algebra and Hamiltonian simulations
- Complex system modeling.
To produce precise “digital twins” of nature, these regions are crucial. The modern digital twins are frequently “bad carbon copies” since classical computers are inefficient at simulating the intrinsic quantum complexity of nature.
This research’s main focus is energy storage. As a researcher attempting to model lithium-air batteries, Curioni emphasized the “wall” he struck. The collaboration hopes to ultimately unleash the capacity to precisely explore these processes by fusing the greatest classical and quantum methods, potentially transforming material science and energy storage. This expands upon the lab’s past achievements, including the development of the scanning tunneling microscope (STM) by Nobel laureates Heinrich Rohrer and Gerd Binnig, which opened the door for nanotechnology.
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Empowering the Next Generation
Workforce development is one of the initiative’s ten-year pillars. IBM is guaranteeing a consistent supply of professionals who are knowledgeable with both AI and quantum paradigms by providing funding for professorships and research jobs at ETH Zurich. The collaboration, according to Prof. Dr. Joël Mesot, President of ETH Zurich, demonstrates a dedication to jointly developing innovative technology that offers long-term social advantages.
This emphasis on education is essential because, as Curioni pointed out, the algorithms that link hardware and software will determine the direction of computing. The two institutes intend to duplicate their previous achievements in domains such as computational chemistry and nanotechnology by educating the next generation to grasp these new algorithmic foundations.
An Ecosystem of Excellence
Zürich’s high-tech innovation hub status is strengthened by the news. IBM’s Zurich facility is near ETH in an ecosystem that includes Google, Meta, and OpenAI. In recent years, ETH has attracted Fields Medalist Alessio Figalli.
The partnership continues to prioritize incremental and basic achievements. After transitioning from a distinguished technical career as an IBM Fellow to lab management, Curioni feels that “pushing the younger generation along” will allow him to contribute more to the world.
By signing this deal, IBM and ETH Zurich are seeking to write the next century of computer history rather than merely planning for the next ten years. “IBM and ETH sowed the seeds for nanotechnology and computational chemistry and grew these fields together,” Curioni said. We can now do it for computing once more.
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