June 2026 – At its annual Build 2026 developer conference, Microsoft revealed that its Discovery agentic AI tool has helped cut in half the projected timeline for developing a commercially viable quantum computer. The breakthrough comes through improvements in the company’s next-generation quantum chip, Majorana 2, which now delivers qubits capable of maintaining their quantum state 1,000 times longer than its predecessor.
The new chip offers a mean qubit lifetime of 20 seconds, with some instances lasting up to a minute. This leap in reliability is attributed to Microsoft’s focus on topological qubits, which inherently provide low error rates, compact size, and digital control. By replacing aluminium with lead in the superconductor and updating the semiconductor active region to a combination of indium arsenide and indium arsenide antimonide, researchers have doubled the topological gap, shielding qubits from environmental noise and errors.
Microsoft’s quantum team, spread across multiple countries and disciplines, has relied on Discovery’s agentic AI to synthesize knowledge, manage workflows, automate measurements, and optimize fabrication. The AI has been instrumental in pinpointing flaws, proposing fixes, and continuously mapping qubit states — tasks that would be impossible for a single scientist to perform manually.
Zulfi Alam, corporate vice-president for quantum at Microsoft, explained that the AI’s ability to resynthesise vast datasets and detect correlations beyond human capacity has been a “game changer.” By automating voltage adjustments and measurement processes, Discovery has accelerated experimentation and reduced bottlenecks in quantum research.
Chetan Nayak, Microsoft technical fellow, emphasized the scale of progress: “We’re 1,000 times better relative to last year. Agentic AI has permeated almost everything we do — it’s become a natural part of our workflow.” He added that the agents can accelerate tasks as much or as little as needed, from summarizing information to generating new hypotheses.
With these advances, Microsoft believes it is on track to deliver a scalable, commercially viable quantum computer by 2029, a milestone that could transform industries from finance to healthcare. The integration of agentic AI into quantum research highlights how artificial intelligence is not only reshaping software development but also driving breakthroughs in the most complex scientific frontiers.
