The Coherence Times: A decade of quantum on the cloud

It was almost exactly ten years ago, on May 4, 2026, that IBM put the first quantum computer on the cloud. This was a seminal moment in computing history. For the first time, anyone could run quantum circuits on a real quantum computer from anywhere with an internet connection. That single act took quantum computers out of the research lab, and put them in the hands of a global community of researchers, developers, students, and enthusiasts. In this week’s episode of The Coherence Times, we sit down with IBM Quantum CTO of Quantum-Centric Supercomputing Jerry Chow and Oak Ridge National Laboratory Quantum Science Center Director Travis Humble to discuss that moment in history, and the decade of exploration and ecosystem development it inspired.