520-qubit design goal presented... IBM plans to connect two chips by 2027

IBM unveiled the design for its next-generation quantum processor, NightHawk R3, targeting 520 programmable qubits and 2,034 physical qubits, with a goal of executing 10,000 accurate quantum operations; the figures are design targets rather than measured performance. The current NightHawk R2, which IBM said began operating in Chicago on the 6th, has 120 programmable qubits and 458 physical qubits. IBM also introduced platform capabilities connecting quantum and classical computing, and plans to link two chips in 2027. The disclosure matters because programmable-qubit counts and error-free operation depth, not raw physical qubit totals, are becoming the benchmark for practical quantum advantage. Next to watch: whether IBM meets its 2027 two-chip milestone and converts these design targets into verified performance.