Spain unveils advanced quantum supercomputer to accelerate AI and science. Photo Credit: BSC
Spain has finally revealed its third quantum supercomputer, a machine that is capable of developing far more complicated algorithms than conventional computers can. The supercomputer, located at the Barcelona Supercomputing Centre, or BSC, was designed and built by Barcelona-based company Qilimanjaro Quantum Tech and funded by the European Commission and Spain’s Secretariat of State for Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence, representing a total investment of €9.8 million. The computer was revealed on Thursday, May 28 at the BSC headquarters.
Conventional computers vs. supercomputers: What is the difference?
What differentiates a supercomputer from a conventional computer is that the latter works with bits, which is short for “binary digits” and is the most basic unit of information in computer science. These bits can only represent the values 0 or 1. Supercomputers, on the other hand, use qubits, which can represent both states at once. This means that supercomputers can easily take on problems that a conventional computer can barely solve.
The newest addition to the MareNostrum 5 supercomputer system: 314 million billion calculations per second
The BSC’s third supercomputer was built to speed up research and the development of artificial intelligence. Unlike the two previous supercomputers built at the centre, the third one is analogue, while the others are digital. The machine has been made to complement the systems that are already in place.
It will be integrated into the MareNostrum 5 system, a large supercomputer already in place at the centre that is capable of performing up to 314 quadrillion calculations per second, combining classical supercomputing, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence.
This incredible machine is a main driver of European research into artificial intelligence, climate modelling, and medicine. It is housed at the chapel of Torre Girona, which was also home to the first four versions of the MareNostrum supercomputer between 2005 and 2023.
Since their launch in February 2025, the first two supercomputers have already clocked up to 4,200 computing hours and have participated in 53 research projects.
How can supercomputers impact daily life?
These machines are capable of furthering research into various sectors, and will therefore have a direct impact on science and advancement in many areas.
To begin with, these computers are capable of simulating complex human organs, leading to faster diagnoses of diseases and tailor-made, individualised medical treatments.
The supercomputers can also generate highly localised and precise meteorological data, allowing for earlier predictions for extreme weather, including storms and droughts.
They can also help with modelling major cities like Barcelona and Madrid, helping officials to plan public infrastructure and optimise traffic flow.
Supercomputers will be integral in the furthering of artificial intelligence technology, which has already taken the world by storm and is a major part of the daily life of many citizens.
They can also simulate renewable energy models, reducing carbon footprints and lowering energy costs, and much more.
Furthering European technological sovereignty and making major scientific advancements
To date, the programme promoting the new quantum computer, the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking, has acquired six quantum computers distributed across different European countries, including Poland, the Czech Republic and Germany.
The launch of this new supercomputer represents a significant step forward for not only Spanish computer science, but European technology as a whole. This incredible machine, capable of solving major problems in science today, including medicinal science and climate science, will also help European countries to achieve technological sovereignty and reduce reliance on infrastructure from other countries.
