All press releases IBM: A Decade of Quantum on the Cloud YORKTOWN HEIGHTS, N.Y., May 4, 2026 - On 4 May 2016, IBM (NYSE: IBM) put the first quantum computer on the cloud. It was a seminal moment in computing history, and for thousands of early users who would get their first experience with real quantum hardware in the months and years to follow. Today, we celebrate a tremendous milestone: ten years of cloud-accessible quantum computing. Now, as day one of IBM’s annual Think conference gets underway, our clients and partners reflect on what the first decade of the cloud has enabled—and what comes next. Those early IBM Quantum users include Dr. Álvaro Nodar, Advocate for the Basque Quantum (BasQ) initiative and Quantum Technical Lead at Global Data Quantum: “The first time I accessed a real quantum device through the cloud was in 2016, during my master’s,” said Nodar. “I remember my professors telling us about its release, and that same afternoon I started running the circuits I had been working on in exercises, projects, and exams," he said. "It was mind-blowing to take all those pen-and-paper circuits and test them on a real device.” Help shape the next decade of quantum computing on the cloud. Sign up for a free Open Plan account on IBM Quantum Platform, and run circuits today. Democratizing access In hindsight, IBM’s decision to put a quantum computer on the cloud marked a profound shift for quantum information science, though at the time, few could fully appreciate how much it would change the trajectory of the field. “The concept of putting a quantum computer on the cloud in 2016 was an absolute stroke of brilliance because it enabled everything that’s happened since then,” said Jamie Garcia, Director of Growth & Strategic Partnerships at IBM Quantum.