Chicago’s Leap into the Quantum Era: PsiQuantum to Launch Operational Quantum Computer by 2028

In a definitive move toward redefining global computing standards, PsiQuantum CEO Jeremy O’Brien announced that a fully fault-tolerant quantum computer will begin operating in Chicago by 2028. This milestone places Illinois at the forefront of quantum technology development, transforming the state's reputation from emerging tech hub to a national leader in advanced computing infrastructure.

During a keynote address, O’Brien stated, “We now have line of sight to a machine that delivers a useful level of quantum advantage… and Illinois is where that machine will be built.” With its $450 million investment and strong federal backing, PsiQuantum’s ambition amplifies the region’s critical role in the U.S. quantum strategy—bridging academic innovation, scalable industrial capability, and a growing ecosystem of quantum research.

PsiQuantum: Engineering the Future of Computing

From Stanford Lab to Industry Vanguard

PsiQuantum emerged in 2016 from collaborations at Stanford University, founded by Jeremy O’Brien, Terry Rudolph, Mark Thompson, and Pete Shadbolt. These physicists brought together deep expertise in quantum optics, information theory, and scalable architecture. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, the company set out with a singular ambition: to construct a fully fault-tolerant quantum computer capable of operating at scale.

Building with Light: The Photonics Advantage

Rather than relying on superconducting qubits or trapped ions, PsiQuantum steers a different path—optical qubits manipulated through photonic circuits. By using single photons as quantum bits and controlling them with ultra-precise silicon photonics and cryogenic technologies, PsiQuantum creates systems inherently less vulnerable to certain types of noise and decoherence.

This methodology allows qubits to travel through optical fiber with minimal error, enabling room-temperature quantum networking and distributed computing. The company's design integrates millions of components—phase shifters, waveguides, beam splitters—onto a silicon chip the size of a fingernail. Scaling is achieved not through exotic materials but by leveraging existing CMOS semiconductor fabrication infrastructure.

Backing from Billion-Dollar Sources

• Venture capital: PsiQuantum has raised over $700 million to date. Investment firms like BlackRock, Redpoint, and Microsoft’s venture fund, M12, have each contributed major rounds.
• Government support: The U.S. Department of Energy, through national lab collaborations, has provided technical access and co-investment channels. The company’s photonic systems are now being tested in federally managed cryogenic environments.
• Corporate partnerships: GlobalFoundries—a major semiconductor manufacturer—joined forces with PsiQuantum to fabricate its chips using standard industrial process nodes, enabling mass production viability.

Flagship Project: The Chicago Quantum Data Center

The PsiQuantum-Chicago buildout marks the company’s first full-scale quantum data center. Announced as part of a regional initiative to transform Illinois into a national quantum hub, the deployment will use PsiQuantum’s photon-based quantum processor architecture. Executives confirmed the data center will tap into resources at Fermilab and Argonne National Laboratory for infrastructure and scientific integration.

Chicago will not only host operational quantum systems but also serve as a living testbed for photonic quantum networking, error correction protocols, and cryo-optical component handling. As PsiQuantum’s CEO Jeremy O’Brien stated, the system is positioned to begin operating by 2028—with full fault tolerance built in from day one.

Why Chicago? A Rising Quantum Hub

Chicago hasn't become a quantum frontrunner by chance. Illinois brings together world-class research institutions, a dense network of advanced manufacturing, and a talent pipeline that keeps deep tech companies anchored. Add to that a government willing to invest in science, and the city gains a rare edge in quantum innovation.

Strategic Assets: Institutions, Infrastructure, and Talent

The region’s strength begins with its institutions. The University of Chicago leads the effort through the Chicago Quantum Exchange, uniting over 150 researchers across disciplines including physics, computer science, and engineering. Meanwhile, Argonne National Laboratory and Fermilab, both U.S. Department of Energy labs, extend the city’s research influence globally. Argonne hosts the Quantum Foundry, a fabrication hub for materials essential to quantum systems. Fermilab contributes high-performance computing capability and expertise in cryogenic systems—core components in building fault-tolerant machines.

Supporting this science backbone is Illinois’ transportation infrastructure. O'Hare International Airport connects researchers and collaborators across continents. The region also benefits from proximity to fiber-optic networks, vital for quantum communications and distributed computing systems. Quantum-optimized networks already stretch from Argonne to Fermilab, establishing testbeds for next-generation infrastructure.

Chicago’s engineering talent pool completes the equation. Graduates from Northwestern University, Illinois Institute of Technology, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign supply a steady influx of quantum-literate engineers, physicists, and computer scientists. Several have already been hired into PsiQuantum’s expanding Midwest operations.

Policy-Driven Acceleration

Illinois doesn’t stand on institution strength alone—it funds innovation with intent. Through the Rebuild Illinois Capital Plan, the state allocated $200 million to support quantum infrastructure, including facilities for advanced semiconductor fabrication. The Illinois Quantum Information Science and Technology Center (IQUIST), co-funded by state and federal sources, tracks developments from lab to market.

Pro-innovation tax policies and grants provide additional fuel. The Research and Development Tax Credit encourages private sector spending, particularly in the quantum-adjacent fields of photonics and superconducting hardware. Local governments, including the City of Chicago, have also begun offering soft landing incentives to attract startups spun out of the city’s research ecosystem.

Why Chicago? Because its quantum engine already runs on three cylinders—science, connectivity, and policy. And with PsiQuantum’s 2028 target, Illinois moves full throttle toward hosting America’s next deep tech stronghold.

Inside the 2028 Timeline: Building a Fault-Tolerant Quantum Machine

What “Fault-Tolerant” Really Means in Quantum Computing

“Fault-tolerant” isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a benchmark. A quantum computer achieves fault tolerance when it can run long computations without being derailed by errors. Unlike classical bits, quantum bits (qubits) are constantly at risk of decoherence and operational noise. Without fault tolerance, useful quantum computation remains out of reach. PsiQuantum is pushing toward this milestone by focusing on error-corrected logical qubits, which rely on networks of thousands or even millions of physical qubits.

For instance, solving practical problems like breaking RSA encryption or modeling complex molecule interactions requires not a hundred but potentially millions of logical operations. Each of those must be protected from costly quantum errors. To achieve this, PsiQuantum employs an approach based on topological error correction and photonic qubits, which are more stable in noisy environments. This choice drives both the architecture and the production roadmap of their quantum platform.

Engineering Challenges from Cryogenics to Photonics

Fault tolerance cannot exist in isolation; it must be engineered into the system from silicon wafer to software stack. PsiQuantum’s photonic quantum computer demands innovations in several domains:

• Photon sources: High-efficiency single-photon sources fabricated using CMOS manufacturing techniques must offer consistent output, scalability, and integration potential.
• Optical circuits: Complex, low-loss interferometers need to be embedded on-chip to route and manipulate qubits accurately, preserving quantum coherence.
• Detectors: Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors must operate at cryogenic temperatures with extremely low noise and high timing resolution.
• Control systems: Massive classical infrastructure is required to interpret photon detection events and implement real-time quantum error correction protocols at scale.

Building such a machine also means addressing environmental stability, photonic chip alignment at nanometer precision, high-bandwidth data handling, and infrastructure to cool detectors down to near absolute zero. Each layer, from chip to chassis, requires integration between hardware, software, and physics.

2024 to 2028: Mapping the Quantum Build-Out

The 2028 target date anchors a high-stakes engineering cycle. A multi-year sequence must unfold precisely, with overlapping phases of development, validation, and scaling. Here’s how the timeline breaks down:

• 2024–2025: System Design SpecificationPsiQuantum defines the performance targets and architectural blueprint for the fault-tolerant machine. Parallel teams refine the CMOS photonic chip layout, develop control algorithms, and construct scalable software stacks for error correction.
• 2025–2026: Prototype Fabrication and Subsystem TestingInitial optical chips are fabricated using established semiconductor facilities. Focus shifts to laboratory validation—testing photon generation rates, optical loss budgets, detector response times, and component integration quality.
• 2026–2027: System Integration and Error Correction TrialsIndividual subsystems (chips, detectors, and cooling modules) are connected into a pre-production prototype. This allows testing of logical qubit lifetimes and the stability of real-time error correction protocols under simulated workloads.
• 2027–2028: Facility Commissioning and Quantum Operations LaunchThe complete quantum computer is assembled at PsiQuantum’s facility in Chicago. Systems undergo extended testing before commercial-class workloads begin. Quantum volume, logical qubit fidelity, and fault-tolerant threshold benchmarks are reported and validated.

By late 2028, the platform will operate at the scale required for real-world applications, ushering in a new epoch not just for Chicago’s deep tech ecosystem, but for the future of computation across industries.

Fueling Quantum Ambition: The Power of Public-Private Collaboration

Behind the push to operationalize Chicago’s quantum computer by 2028 lies a carefully synchronized network of public institutions and private innovators. PsiQuantum stands at the technological forefront, but it’s the integration of academia, government, and industry that powers the broader initiative forward.

Federal Backing and National Strategy

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Quantum Initiative (NQI) are both deeply embedded in the project’s framework. The DOE has already allocated substantial funding toward quantum information science, with a $1.2 billion authorization over five years under the NQI Act. Through Argonne and Fermilab—two national laboratories based in Illinois—the department plays a dual role in both funding and research collaboration.

Argonne, in particular, is heavily involved in the development of enabling infrastructure for large-scale quantum systems. Through its Q-NEXT initiative, a DOE Quantum Information Science Research Center, Argonne focuses on quantum interconnects, cryogenic systems, and error correction protocols—all foundational for PsiQuantum’s plans.

Academic Anchors and Corporate Allies

Top research universities based in Illinois, including the University of Chicago, Northwestern University, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, contribute personnel, theory, and lab space. These universities are directly integrated through consortiums such as the Chicago Quantum Exchange (CQE), which facilitates a continuous flow of talent and experimental development.

Local tech companies and engineering firms add a commercialization layer. From silicon photonics prototypes to cryogenic engineering components, Chicago-based enterprises are manufacturing hardware and refining processes that directly feed into PsiQuantum’s production roadmap.

Financial Engines and Facilities Development

Infrastructure and capital investment are being jointly handled by state and federal players, supplemented by private capital. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity has earmarked over $200 million to support quantum and semiconductor ventures, including laboratory retrofits and cleanroom upgrades. Meanwhile, PsiQuantum is attracting venture investment from firms like BlackRock and Baillie Gifford, whose focus on deep-tech aligns with long ROI cycles typical of quantum development.

The physical footprint for the project will span both federal laboratories and newly constructed cleanrooms in Chicago’s innovation districts. As part of the collaboration, Fermilab is contributing fabrication capabilities through its Cryomodule Test Facility, and PsiQuantum is expected to establish proprietary photonic chip manufacturing cells onsite.

• Argonne and Fermilab: Providing federal lab space, research support, and systems engineering capabilities.
• University partners: Supplying quantum scientists, post-docs, and experimental R&D environments.
• State government: Financing physical infrastructure and offering tax incentives tied to long-term job creation.
• Private investors: Funding PsiQuantum’s $650M+ capital raise, which covers staffing, materials, and site-specific equipment procurement.

This layered public-private ecosystem is not incidental—it’s deliberately designed to de-risk the scaling of fault-tolerant quantum computing. Each participant fills a distinct functional role, ensuring no single point of failure can delay the 2028 goal. Collaboration isn’t just additive here; it’s the architecture of delivery.

Quantum Infrastructure: Laying the Groundwork for Deployment

Chicago’s Facilities: Preparing for the Quantum Era

Construction and retrofitting efforts are accelerating across the Chicago metro area to support the coming wave of quantum technologies. From dedicated quantum labs on university campuses to high-density data centers in the suburbs, public and private sectors are coordinating physical transformations to host tomorrow’s computing core. At Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, facility upgrades include shielded environments, sub-Kelvin refrigeration units, and new cleanroom spaces tailored to quantum photonic systems.

The envisioned data centers differ from traditional server farms. Their layouts incorporate ultra-low-vibration mounts, advanced electromagnetic shielding, and stable cryostats capable of sustaining operation below 1 Kelvin. These modifications allow for housing qubit systems that maintain coherence long enough to execute complex error correction algorithms.

Hardware Backbone: Cryogenics, Photons, and Error Control

Quantum infrastructure demands a unique class of support systems. PsiQuantum’s approach relies on photonic qubits, which require high-fidelity generation, routing, and detection of single photons. This necessitates the integration of specialized components:

• Cryogenic Platforms: To maintain quantum coherence, systems must operate at near-absolute zero, around 0.01 Kelvin. Dilution refrigerators—such as those produced by Bluefors and Oxford Instruments—form the thermal bedrock for processor stability.
• Photon Generation Modules: PsiQuantum’s architecture leverages optical sources that emit indistinguishable photons on demand. Scalable photon production remains one of the most complex challenges, demanding precise timing and alignment at femtosecond scales.
• Error Correction Hardware: Fault-tolerant computation hinges on stabilizing thousands of physical qubits to encode a single logical qubit. Superconducting control circuits and fast-feedback electronics coordinate qubit measurement, syndrome extraction, and parallel corrections.

Building the National Fabric for Quantum Networks

Efforts in Chicago mirror a broader trend unfolding across the United States. The Department of Energy’s Quantum Information Science Centers and initiatives led by the National Institute of Standards and Technology feed into a nationwide push to harden core infrastructure. Fiber-optic backbones are being extended and upgraded to allow entanglement distribution and quantum key distribution across metro scales.

Examples include Fermilab’s partnership with Illinois universities to operate a 124-mile quantum network—the Chicago Quantum Exchange—and the Q-NEXT consortium’s roadmaps for scalable quantum interconnects. These networks serve both as functional testbeds and as the early scaffolding of a future U.S. quantum internet.

What happens beneath the surface—in kilowatt-cooled basements and underground cable trays—will define how fast and how far quantum computing reaches. And in Chicago, those elements are steadily falling into place.

Quantum Ignition: Unleashing Innovation and Redefining the Future of Computing

New Frontiers in Drug Discovery and Materials Science

PsiQuantum’s fault-tolerant quantum computer, expected to be operational in Chicago by 2028, will change how researchers simulate molecular behaviors. Instead of approximating chemical interactions, as classical computers currently do, quantum systems will model them precisely at the atomic level. This enables accurate simulation of protein folding, reaction paths, and quantum states of complex molecules.

Pharmaceutical companies stand to compress a decade of R&D into just a few years. For instance, quantum algorithms like the Variational Quantum Eigensolver (VQE) and Quantum Phase Estimation (QPE) will make it possible to predict molecular binding affinities with unprecedented accuracy. Expect faster synthesis of antiviral compounds, custom oncological therapies, and the development of highly specific enzyme inhibitors.

High-performance materials—from superconductors to lightweight alloys—will also emerge from simulations that previously required infinite computing resources. Entire product life cycles can shift, where discovery, prototyping, and manufacturing become tightly integrated under a quantum-informed model.

Climate Modeling: Simulating a Complex Planet

Climate scientists rely on massive computational power to simulate atmospheric dynamics, ocean circulation, and carbon cycles. Even today’s most advanced supercomputers struggle with the resolution and nonlinear complexity required to make accurate long-horizon forecasts.

In 2028, Chicago’s quantum computer will handle multi-variable climate models that simulate Earth’s system interactions at quantum scale. With access to these tools, researchers can model the effects of geoengineering, study feedback loops such as permafrost melting, and simulate mitigation strategies under various carbon emission scenarios. Granular climate predictions will inform energy policy, agriculture, and urban planning with far higher certainty than current models offer.

Solving the Optimization Problems That Classical Systems Can't

Industries driven by logistics, manufacturing, finance, and supply chains operate within a jungle of optimization problems. Classical algorithms hit walls when processing huge combinatorial datasets under real-time constraints.

Quantum computing shifts that paradigm. Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithms (QAOA) can identify optimal routes for thousands of delivery trucks across shifting traffic grids. In finance, portfolio optimization under stochastic risk models gets executed with quantum speed-ups, reducing cost and raising returns while adapting to market volatility.

For manufacturers with global footprints, quantum computing will reduce decision time for resource allocation, raw material sourcing, and energy grid optimization. Problems that used to require hours or days on conventional clusters will resolve in seconds.

Startup Magnetism and Talent Acceleration

When a scalable quantum computer starts operating in Illinois, the ecosystem around it will ignite. Tech entrepreneurs, postdoctoral researchers, and engineers will converge around the infrastructure, drawn by access to a technology stack otherwise unreachable.

• Deep-tech incubators will sprout near key universities such as the University of Chicago and Northwestern.
• Venture capital firms will find quantum-aligned startups not only fundable but scalable—leveraging proprietary algorithms on PsiQuantum's hardware.
• Specialized roles—quantum software engineers, photonic circuit designers, quantum error-correction theorists—will become highly sought-after across the state.

Chicago could emerge as a gravitational center not just for quantum tech, but for AI, cybersecurity, and next-gen chip manufacturing, all feeding into the quantum stack.

Economic Consequences Over the Long Horizon

Illinois’ investment in hosting the 2028 quantum computer goes far beyond an R&D win—it’s a long-game economic play. Quantum technologies are expected to contribute up to $850 billion globally by 2040, according to McKinsey’s quantum technology report. Cities and states hosting foundational infrastructure stand to gain disproportionately.

From local workforce development to global partnerships, the Chicago quantum hub will translate into direct economic multipliers. Expect growth in high-salary employment, increased demand for advanced manufacturing capabilities, and a surge in intellectual property filings originating from Illinois-based labs and startups.

As value chains form around quantum platforms, companies that build error-correction software, photonic control systems, quantum sensors, and hybrid cloud solutions will add additional layers to the state’s technology economy. The result: a durable tech cluster with advantages that cannot be easily offshored or replicated.

Chicago's Quantum R&D Engine: Driving Breakthroughs Beyond 2028

Chicago is not just hosting a flagship quantum computer—it's cultivating a broad and collaborative research environment that feeds into national goals and global competition. The city anchors one of the Department of Energy’s National Quantum Initiative sites and plays a critical role in both theoretical and applied quantum research.

Research That Pushes Boundaries

The region supports high-impact research programs across several quantum domains. Scientists at the University of Chicago, Argonne National Laboratory, and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory are running coordinated efforts in areas like:

• Fault-tolerant systems: Researchers are optimizing quantum error correction using topological qubits and surface code architecture. These systems sustain logical qubits beyond coherence times measured in seconds, not microseconds, which is a scale PsiQuantum’s machine aims to perform on.
• Quantum networking: The Chicago Quantum Exchange has already established a 124-mile quantum loop, enabling real-time experiments with quantum entanglement and teleportation protocols. This infrastructure lays the foundation for longer-range quantum communication.
• Materials science for quantum engineering: Discoveries in cryogenic photonics, silicon-vacancy centers, and superconducting materials emerge from collaborations between national labs and academic departments. These materials innovations directly feed into more stable qubits and scalable hardware platforms.

A Catalyst Named PsiQuantum

The arrival of PsiQuantum’s large-scale quantum system won’t remain an isolated event—it will accelerate the maturity of Chicago’s entire quantum ecosystem. When a player with PsiQuantum’s technical scope commits to deploying a full-stack fault-tolerant machine, it intensifies R&D demand across supply chains, startup ventures, and laboratory partnerships.

New grants, talent pipelines, and prototyping facilities are already aligning in response. What begins as a single machine in a metro area transforms into a network of institutions operating with shared urgency and common objectives. Chicago’s layered research clusters feed directly into PsiQuantum’s deployment goals and, in return, benefit from access to new data, users, and technologies that will emerge post-2028.

Strategic Vision: Building America’s Quantum Advantage

Chicago's 2028 quantum computing milestone fits squarely into a broader national agenda: asserting the United States’ leadership in quantum science and technology. This vision, reinforced by multiple federal strategies—including the National Quantum Initiative Act and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy’s (OSTP) National Strategic Overview for Quantum Information Science—prioritizes rapid deployment of practical quantum systems. PsiQuantum’s initiative delivers precisely that.

By targeting operational status for a fault-tolerant quantum computer in 2028, PsiQuantum’s Chicago project accelerates the implementation of advanced quantum technology with potential impacts across economic, military, and scientific domains. The Department of Energy and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) place quantum technologies on par with nuclear and space advancements in terms of strategic importance. A successful rollout in Chicago will add critical infrastructure, talent pipelines, and real machine capabilities to America’s quantum landscape—well ahead of current international competition.

Multiplying Effects on National Security and Economic Power

• National defense: Quantum computing will enable breakthroughs in cryptanalysis, sensor networks, navigation without GPS, and secure communications—each with direct military applications. The Department of Defense's 2023 Technology Vision confirms quantum represents an "asymmetric advantage" if U.S.-led and a vulnerability if exploited first by rivals.
• Economic competitiveness: McKinsey projected in 2023 that quantum computing could unlock $1.3 trillion in value globally by 2035. Anchoring this capacity domestically gives the U.S. not just a technological lead but also export leverage in quantum-enabled pharmaceuticals, materials science, and logistics optimization.
• Scientific leadership: Fault-tolerant quantum systems will help solve multibody quantum physics problems inaccessible to classical supercomputers—advancing fusion energy, high-temperature superconductors, and climate models.

Federal Leadership Backs the Strategy

Speaking at a quantum industry roundtable earlier this year, Dr. Arati Prabhakar, Director of OSTP, stated: “The race for quantum dominance is not hypothetical—it’s moving beneath our feet. Deploying working fault-tolerant systems on our soil by the end of the decade will set the foundation for decades of leadership.”

PsiQuantum’s Chief Executive Officer Jeremy O’Brien emphasized alignment with Washington’s priorities during the announcement: “What we’re delivering in Chicago goes way beyond technology. It’s about anchoring this industry here. Government strategy supports that — we’re answering the call.”

Chicago’s milestone represents more than a regional achievement. It marks a deliberate step in turning federal strategy into tangible infrastructure, reasserting U.S. dominance in foundational science and breakthrough technology. Whether in securing data, accelerating innovation, or projecting soft power through science, 2028 now serves as a marker for where the future is built—and who builds it first.

Chicago's Quantum Future Takes Shape

By 2028, PsiQuantum’s deployment of a fault-tolerant quantum computer in Chicago won’t just mark a technological milestone—it will define a new era in computational capabilities. This initiative integrates top-tier quantum engineering with a collaborative framework that combines federal investment, academic firepower, and private-sector innovation.

Every component of the project ties back to three fundamental drivers: engineering scalability, infrastructure readiness, and inter-institutional cooperation. PsiQuantum’s optical-based approach to fault-tolerance bypasses the decoherence issues plaguing alternative designs, laying the foundation for extended logical qubit operation. The result? A pathway to commercial quantum advantage that doesn't require a decade of hardware iteration. That's a leap most initiatives have yet to even blueprint.

The blend of federal resources, from the Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory to grants under the CHIPS and Science Act, has turned Chicago into a prime testbed for quantum-class systems. Meanwhile, venture capital follows closely behind. Private equity firms and corporate R&D arms are already increasing their stake in the state’s tech corridor, with quantum startups reporting a rise in Series A valuations over the last 18 months.

Chicago’s transformation through this initiative rises beyond simply housing a quantum computer. The city is positioning itself as a complete ecosystem—research, development, talent pipeline, infrastructure, and commercial application all within one metro area. Quantum computing hubs exist globally in places like Delft, Toronto, and Shenzhen, but none are advancing with the institutional alignment and fiscal velocity now seen in Illinois.

When the system goes live in 2028, Chicago won't just run faster computations—it will rewrite what's computationally possible. Supply chain optimization, materials design, climate modeling, and encrypted communications will move from theory to application. This is not simply science—it’s system engineering at national scale.

Quantum advantage will follow centers that can build, deploy, and sustain. Chicago checks all three boxes. The city isn’t waiting to become a leader—it has already started acting like one.