Aramco and French quantum firm Pasqal have deployed the Middle East’s first quantum computer dedicated to industrial use, installed at Aramco’s data center in Dhahran. The system is intended to speed applied research across energy, materials and large-scale optimization projects, signaling a new phase for regional technology adoption.
A Historic Collaboration for Regional Innovation
The partnership pairs Aramco’s industrial scale and domain expertise with Pasqal’s neutral-atom quantum platform. The machine sits inside Aramco’s Dhahran facility and will be used by internal research teams and selected partners. Wa’ed Ventures, Aramco’s venture arm and an early investor in Pasqal, helped catalyze the collaboration and align it with Saudi Arabia’s broader innovation priorities.
“This deployment brings practical quantum capability to industry workflows and local research programs,” said an Aramco innovation lead. “It is a strategic step toward applied quantum computing in the region.”
Powering Industrial Transformation with Neutral-Atom Tech
Pasqal’s neutral-atom approach traps and controls arrays of atoms with lasers, enabling programmable interactions for quantum simulation and optimization. The installed system is reported to operate around 200 qubits in a platform designed for industrial problem sets rather than purely academic benchmarks. That orientation makes it well suited to tackle simulations of molecular systems, materials discovery, and complex optimization in logistics and operations.
Building a Future Quantum Ecosystem
Beyond the machine, the initiative aims to grow local talent through training programs, joint research projects and access for Saudi universities and startups. By hosting hardware, Aramco creates hands-on opportunities for engineers and scientists while signaling to investors and regional governments that quantum capabilities will be part of the Middle East’s tech stack.
Long term, the deployment positions Saudi Arabia as a practical user of quantum computing for industrial challenges and a catalyst for regional collaboration in quantum research and talent development.
