IBM Acquires HRL Laboratories to Expand Quantum Computing Strategy

International Business Machines Corporation has agreed to acquire HRL Laboratories from Boeing Co. and General Motors Co. as part of a strategy to diversify its quantum computing research. IBM intends to utilize the laboratory's expertise in advanced materials and electron spin qubits, which offer a more compact alternative to the superconducting qubits the company has traditionally used.

This acquisition allows the company to integrate electron spin circuits into its technical roadmap following the scheduled 2033 release of its Blue Jay system. The move occurs as the company competes with Alphabet Inc. and Microsoft Corporation for dominance in a sector fueled by billions in venture capital and government subsidies, including more than $2 billion from the United States government.

To support this expansion, IBM has committed to investing more than $10 billion in quantum computing over the next five years.