Computer Science Challenges in Quantum Computing: Early Fault-Tolerance and Beyond

Jens Palsberg; Jason Cong; Yufei Ding; Bill Fefferman; Moinuddin Qureshi; Gokul Subramanian Ravi; Kaitlin N. Smith; Hanrui Wang; Xiaodi Wu; Henry Yuen

arXiv · 2601.20247

Computer Science Challenges in Quantum Computing: Early Fault-Tolerance and Beyond

Jens Palsberg·Jason Cong·Yufei Ding·Bill Fefferman·Moinuddin Qureshi·Gokul Subramanian Ravi·Kaitlin N. Smith·Hanrui Wang·Xiaodi Wu·Henry Yuen

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Abstract

Quantum computing is entering a period in which progress will be shaped as much by advances in computer science as by improvements in hardware. The central thesis of this report is that early fault-tolerant quantum computing shifts many of the primary bottlenecks from device physics alone to computer-science-driven system design, integration, and evaluation. While large-scale, fully fault-tolerant quantum computers remain a long-term objective, near- and medium-term systems will support early fault-tolerant computation with small numbers of logical qubits and tight constraints on error rates, connectivity, latency, and classical control. How effectively such systems can be used will depend on advances across algorithms, error correction, software, and architecture. This report identifies key research challenges for computer scientists and organizes them around these four areas, each centered on a fundamental question.

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Jens Palsberg, Jason Cong, Yufei Ding, Bill Fefferman, Moinuddin Qureshi, Gokul Subramanian Ravi, Kaitlin N. Smith, Hanrui Wang, Xiaodi Wu, Henry Yuen. 2026-01-28. Computer Science Challenges in Quantum Computing: Early Fault-Tolerance and Beyond. https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.20247

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