Tokyo, August 29, 2022 - NEC Corporation (NEC; TSE： 6701) is set to launch an enhanced “NEC Vector Annealing Service" for solving large-scale combinatorial problems at ultra-high speed using quantum computing technology. The strengthened service will enable a maximum scale of up to 300,000 bits to be achieved with full coupling through functional enhancements, and solution performance will be up to 30 times faster than conventional services (*).

An on-premises version of this service is scheduled to be available globally from October 1st and a cloud version in Japan from November 1st.

In recent years, there is a growing interest in using quantum computing techniques for quickly solving complex combinatorial optimization problems that exist in various situations in society but are too difficult for conventional computing technology to solve due to the enormous number of combinations, such as for drafting delivery plans and planning work shifts.

The NEC Vector Annealing Service runs software incorporating NEC's proprietary algorithm suitable for quantum annealing processing on the vector supercomputer "SX-Aurora TSUBASA." By operating the NEC Vector Annealing Service on SX-Aurora TSUBASA, which performs matrix calculations with a large capacity memory, ultra-high-speed processing of large-scale combination problems can be carried out.

The latest version of this service has been enhanced for addressing large-scale and complex issues and will first be offered as a flat-rate monthly cloud service, rather than a pay-as-you-go service, in order to encourage as many customers as possible to utilize these cutting-edge technologies.

Enhancement Overview

Going forward, through the provision of this service, NEC will promote the use of quantum computing technology as part of contributing to the resolution of a wide range of social issues.

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About NEC Corporation
NEC Corporation has established itself as a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies while promoting the brand statement of “Orchestrating a brighter world.” NEC enables businesses and communities to adapt to rapid changes taking place in both society and the market as it provides for the social values of safety, security, fairness and efficiency to promote a more sustainable world where everyone has the chance to reach their full potential. For more information, visit NEC at https://www.nec.com.