Focus on utility-scale computing: Retirement of cloud simulators and IBM Quantum Lab

Cloud simulators

In line with our focus on utility-scale(opens in a new tab) quantum computing, we’re retiring our cloud simulators on 15 May 2024. We invite you to start using the Qiskit Runtime local testing mode (with qiskit-ibm-runtime 0.22.0 or later), which makes it possible to perform development and testing locally prior to submitting your workloads to our >100-qubit systems.

This change emphasizes a shift toward quantum hardware capabilities, since the benefits of quantum hardware have surpassed the utility of simulators in helping determine which applications have the greatest potential for advantage.

• Guide: Migrate from cloud simulators to local simulators
• Noisy simulation with Qiskit Aer primitives
• Getting started with Qiskit Aer(opens in a new tab)

IBM Quantum Lab

We are also retiring IBM Quantum Lab on 15 May 2024 to increase our focus on utility-era tooling.

You can execute jobs locally with Qiskit, or you can set up your own cloud-based environment.

Starting today, you can download your Lab files in bulk from the Lab platform(opens in a new tab). Bulk file downloads will remain available until 15 November 2024.