Saudi Aramco, Pasqal launch quantum computer

Saudi Aramco and French quantum computing company Pasqal have formally launched Saudi Arabia’s first quantum computer, according to statements published by both companies on May 18. The system is installed at Aramco’s data center in Dhahran, and the companies said it is being paired with what they described as the Middle East’s first commercial quantum-computing-as-a-service platform. The announcement followed earlier work between the two companies that began with a deployment agreement in May 2024. Aramco and Pasqal said the machine is intended to support industrial use cases including optimization, simulation and broader computing research. ### When did the launch actually happen? May 18, 2026 is the date Aramco and Pasqal used in their formal launch statements, even though social posts about the milestone circulated later in the week. Aramco said on that date that it had “officially inaugurated” the kingdom’s first quantum computer, while Pasqal published a matching statement from Dhahran. (aramco.com) May 24 social-media references appear to reflect wider circulation of the announcement rather than a separate launch event. The underlying company releases point to the formal inauguration taking place on May 18 in Dhahran. ### What exactly was launched in Dhahran? Aramco said the installation includes Saudi Arabia’s first quantum computer and a commercial Quantum Computing as a Service, or QCaaS, platform for the Middle East. (aramco.com) The company said the computer is located in its Dhahran data center and gives customers “immediate, low-latency access” to quantum hardware through a secure cloud platform. Pasqal said the hardware is based on its neutral-atom technology. (aramco.com) On its technology page, the company describes its processors as neutral-atom quantum systems aimed at industrial applications such as optimization, simulation and AI-related workloads. ### How long has this project been in the works? May 20, 2024 was the date Aramco and Pasqal first announced their agreement to install the first quantum computer in Saudi Arabia. (aramco.com) Aramco said at the time that Pasqal would install, maintain and operate a 200-qubit quantum computer scheduled for deployment in the second half of 2025. (pasqal.com) November 2025 was identified by Pasqal in a later company statement as the point when the machine had been deployed at Aramco’s data center. That means the May 2026 announcement marks the formal inauguration and commercial rollout phase, rather than the first arrival of the hardware. ### Who is supposed to use it? Aramco said the platform is designed to let customers use the system through cloud access rather than only as an internal research asset. (aramco.com) The company said the service is meant to address “complex industrial challenges,” while Pasqal said the deployment is aimed at energy, materials and industrial-sector applications in Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East. Rigzone, citing the company announcement, reported that the launch included the Middle East’s first commercial quantum-computing-as-a-service offering. (pasqal.com) That framing matches the language used by Aramco and Pasqal in their own releases. ### Why are Aramco and Pasqal involved together? Aramco is positioning the project as part of a broader push into advanced computing infrastructure. (aramco.com) In a separate March 2026 company update about CERAWeek, Aramco referred to “the region’s first Pasqal quantum computer” as part of its digital and AI portfolio. Pasqal, for its part, has said it wants to expand its presence in the Middle East. (rigzone.com) In earlier partnership material, the company said the Aramco tie-up would help it establish operations in Saudi Arabia and across the region. May 2026 company statements say the immediate next step is commercial use of the QCaaS platform from Aramco’s Dhahran data center. (americas.aramco.com) Aramco and Pasqal said the named participants in that next phase are regional customers seeking access to the quantum hardware through the secure cloud service. (aramco.com) (pasqal.com)