MIT and IBM launch Computing Research Lab to converge AI and quantum computing

IBM and MIT launched the MIT-IBM Computing Research Lab on April 29, 2026, replacing the 2017 MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab. The previous lab funded 210+ research projects involving 150+ MIT faculty and 200 IBM researchers, producing 1,500+ peer-reviewed papers and supporting 500+ students. The new lab expands the partnership to include quantum computing alongside AI and algorithms research, focusing on hybrid computing that combines classical systems, AI models, and quantum hardware. Research areas include small efficient modular language model architectures, novel AI computing paradigms, enterprise AI systems, and quantum algorithms for chemistry, biology, and materials science. IBM has a roadmap to deliver the world's first fault-tolerant quantum computer by 2029. The lab complements MIT's Generative AI Impact Consortium and MIT Quantum Initiative.