Diraq & Equinix to host quantum computer in Sydney

Diraq and Equinix plan to deploy a Diraq quantum computer at an Equinix data centre in Sydney, in what is set to be Australia's first quantum computer inside a commercial data centre.

The installation would also be the first silicon spin quantum computer to operate in a shared commercial facility anywhere in the world. It places a quantum machine in the same type of environment used for cloud and artificial intelligence workloads, rather than a standalone research setting.

Diraq is an Australian-founded quantum computing company that builds processors using silicon, the same material used in conventional computer chips. Equinix operates data centres and digital infrastructure that businesses use to host and connect computing systems.

The planned system will contain a silicon chip with eight quantum bits, or qubits. Its cryogenic cooling and control electronics are self-contained, allowing the full system to sit within an existing data centre alongside standard servers.

According to the companies, the machine requires less than 20kW of power and only limited integration work. Diraq added that higher qubit counts could be achieved by replacing the chip without changing the surrounding infrastructure.

Data centre move

The deployment is intended to test how the system performs in a live commercial data centre with open network connectivity, including remote monitoring and integration with conventional computing hardware such as CPUs and GPUs.

The project will also examine how quantum systems could operate alongside cloud and AI infrastructure in a hybrid model. Diraq argues that quantum computers are more likely to complement classical systems than replace them.

Andrew Dzurak, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Diraq, said the installation marks a shift in where quantum systems can operate.

"Quantum computers are about to become as essential to data centres and computing infrastructure as data servers, CPUs and GPUs," Dzurak said.

"The data centre is where quantum computing goes mainstream, and that shift starts now. It's a first, and the milestone is in the simplicity itself. Diraq's quantum computers integrate into operational data centres like any other rack. That's the advantage of Diraq's silicon spin qubits: as we scale to millions of qubits, our system is deployable anywhere in the world, right next to the AI systems that are reshaping the global economy."

Diraq's approach centres on silicon spin qubits, a type of quantum bit built using semiconductor processes associated with mainstream chip manufacturing. The company says this route could allow it to use existing semiconductor foundries rather than rely on custom production methods.

Because the qubits are small, more can be placed on a single chip than in some other quantum computing approaches, according to Diraq. That density means multiple systems could eventually operate within a standard data centre footprint.

Commercial path

The Sydney installation also opens the way for partner and customer discussions once testing is complete. Outside organisations will be able to view the system in operation and explore possible uses in a facility that already supports data sovereignty, security and compliance requirements.

For Equinix, the project tests whether quantum machines can be housed securely inside commercial digital infrastructure already used by enterprises. The company described that as an important step in turning laboratory advances into deployable computing services.

Jarrod Nink, Managing Director, Australia, at Equinix, said the project would test whether quantum systems can work within established infrastructure.

"Quantum computing's future depends not only on breakthroughs in hardware, but on proving how these systems can operate within the digital infrastructure enterprises rely on every day. Our collaboration with Diraq will demonstrate how quantum computing can be securely deployed alongside AI, cloud and high-performance computing environments. By combining Diraq's pioneering silicon quantum technology with Equinix's global footprint, we're helping to define a new benchmark for quantum deployment while supporting Australia's ambition to become a leading global hub for quantum innovation."

Diraq has received backing from organisations including Australia's National Reconstruction Fund and the US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency. It is also expanding its presence in the United States, with operations in Palo Alto, Chicago and Los Angeles.

The company says it is among 11 businesses selected for Stage B of DARPA's Quantum Benchmarking Initiative. It also lists partnerships with Nvidia, Dell Technologies, GlobalFoundries and imec.

Quantum computing remains at an early stage, with most systems still confined to specialist facilities and experimental settings. By putting an eight-qubit machine in a commercial data centre, Diraq and Equinix are testing not only the hardware itself but also the practical demands of operating quantum equipment in the shared facilities that underpin much of modern computing.

"We believe the future of computing will be quantum-enhanced and AI-enabled," Dzurak said.

"Rather than replacing today's systems, quantum computers will work alongside AI and classical infrastructure to solve problems that are currently out of reach. By bringing quantum into a commercial data centre, we're helping pave the way for that future."