Saudi Arabia is set to receive its first quantum computer after energy giant Aramco reached an agreement with French computing firm Pasqal.

This deal will see Pasqal install, maintain, and operate a 200-qubit machine scheduled for deployment in the latter half of 2024.

Quantum computers, which use qubits to handle complex multidimensional algorithms, outperform traditional computers in solving intricate problems.

Ahmad Al-Khowaiter, Executive VP of Technology and Innovation at Aramco, emphasized the importance of adopting new technologies to enhance high-performance information processing in the Kingdom.

Initially, the quantum computer will operate in an 'analog mode,' later upgrading to a more advanced 'analog-digital mode' within a year, according to the agreement.

This move follows a memorandum of understanding signed between Aramco and Pasqal in 2022, aiming to enhance their quantum computing capabilities in the energy sector.

Pasqal's CEO, Georges-Olivier Reymond, highlighted that the introduction of this quantum computer marks a significant milestone for industrial innovation in Saudi Arabia.

Furthermore, Aramco recently signed three additional MoUs with US firms, including Aeroseal, Spiritus, and Rondo, to develop lower-carbon solutions.

Earlier in May, Aramco reported a net profit of twenty-seven billion, two hundred seventy million dollars for Q1 of 2023, a 2.04% increase compared to the last quarter of the previous year.