The IgnisQNC research project aims to develop a new approach to trustworthy quantum-based learning: Quantum Neural Computing (QNC). The overarching objective of the consortium is to establish a scientific foundation for QNC as a trustworthy and hardware-compatible approach to applied quantum AI, to implement it technically, and to validate it on real quantum platforms. The research investigates how quantum states and measurement processes can be structured to support neural information processing. The problem to be solved lies in the gap between the theoretical potential of quantum-based learning methods and their practical applicability. For applications involving complex and security-sensitive data, there is a lack of models that are resource-efficient, robust, explainable and comparable across platforms. The approaches developed by IgnisQNC will first be simulated, then tested on real quantum hardware and compared with established methods.

The project will be carried out in collaboration with Lancaster University, the Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Aqarios GmbH and the TU Bergakademie Freiberg. The project is scheduled to run from 2026 to 2029, with a total budget of 1.8 million euros for applications in biometrics and medical diagnostics using quantum AI. We look forward to some exciting years of research!