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QuEra Computing Uses AI to Automate a Critical Quantum Computer Subsystem, Enabling the Acceleration of Commercial-Grade Quantum Computing Deployments from QuEra

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An AI agent, Anthropic’s Claude, developed and validated the control logic for the laser system in a QuEra quantum computer, recovering it in seconds versus an expert needing minutes, and holding it steadier than a specialist’s manual tune. QuEra plans to extend the approach to other subsystems.

BOSTON, Aug. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — QuEra Computing, the leader in quantum computing, today announced results from its work in the Model Hardware Standard (MHS) research preview, in which an AI agent, Anthropic’s Claude, performed one of the most expert-dependent jobs in operating a quantum computer: keeping its laser system on target. The agent wrote and validated its own control software, which now recovers the system in seconds with no manual intervention, obviating the need for manual work that previously required a specialist on site.

Quantum computers are moving from laboratory instruments to products customers buy and operate themselves. That transition depends less on physics than on whether a machine runs reliably without the people who built it standing next to it. QuEra’s systems use lasers held at precise frequencies to control atomic qubits. Those lasers drift, and when one drifts far enough the machine stops until someone with deep and specific expertise brings it back. Every generation of machine carries more lasers than the last, and every machine at a customer site sits further from the engineers who know them best.

Automating a Critical Subsystem

QuEra has automated recovery from common laser disturbances for years, and Aquila, its 256-qubit system on Amazon Braket, runs with uptime above 99%. The more complex laser failures are rarer and more severe, and have resisted automation to date because recovery calls for human expert judgment rather than a fixed sequence of steps.

A QuEra team of four specialists spent two to three weeks writing a recovery script by hand, and it handled only the failures its authors thought to list. The team then gave the same problem to Claude, working through the MHS, a new standard for AI agents to safely operate physical equipment in scientific research and advanced manufacturing. MHS started as a collaboration between Anthropic and HHMI Janelia Research Campus and is currently in a limited research preview, in which QuEra is a participant. MHS let the agent run its own experiments on a dedicated testbed and propose a fix, try it, read the result, refine. It ran that loop continuously, including overnight, covering hundreds of failure cases that no team of specialists would have time to work through by hand.

Engineers set the scope, reviewed every step, and decided what counted as proof of success. The software the agent produced is a conventional, fully inspectable program, not a model making decisions at runtime. And the work stayed safe by design: devices declare bounds, interlocks, and emergency stops in the standard itself, and AI agents inherit and operate within them by default.

What the Pilot Proved

It recovered reliably. Given no information about what had gone wrong, the controller returned the system to target in 695 of 700 timed trials across seven fault types, and never reported success when it had not succeeded. The five misses traced to a rig condition rather than the software.It recovered in seconds. Most faults cleared in under six seconds and the hardest in roughly 10 to 14 seconds, against five to 10 minutes for an expert.It handled real faults, not only test cases. The testbed sits in a working lab with ordinary foot traffic and real environmental sources of error. Over the pilot the AI agent recovered every time without help, regardless of the cause.It improved on expert tuning. Asked to improve the quality of the lock rather than recover it, the AI agent cut residual noise by a factor of five and stopped the system dropping out during unattended runs. Measured afterward on an independent instrument it could not influence, its settings matched an experienced specialist’s manual tune and corrected a flaw the manual tune had left behind.It transferred. Pointed at a second laser wavelength, the AI agent worked out the settings from scratch in one unattended overnight run, a job that normally takes weeks of hands-on commissioning.

Why It Matters for Deployment

Prior to this pilot, every laser used to carry a standing claim on scarce human expert time. On-site recovery was required at any hour, taking up to half an hour per tuning session, and commissioning a new operating point took weeks. Given the increased number of lasers per computer and additional deployments in the field, manual expert labor becomes a limit on how many systems can be deployed and properly supported, and a barrier to fault-tolerant quantum computing at scale.

“For years the hardest part of scaling quantum computers wasn’t the physics, it was the people driving at 2 am to fix a laser lock. We built a solution using the Model Hardware Standard to fix that: the lock recovers itself in seconds, verified every time, catching noise that’s easy to miss by hand. We’re building quantum computers that fix themselves,” said Sergio H. Cantu, Vice President of Quantum Systems, QuEra Computing.

After the pilot, little or no expert guidance is required. For an HPC center or national laboratory installing a system on-premises, that is the difference between needing a resident neutral-atom laser specialist and needing very little of one’s time.

Why QuEra Partners

The laser in this pilot is one of many subsystems in a quantum computer that are precise, fragile, and demanding of expert attention. QuEra expects the same AI automation approach to apply to others, and the pilot leaves behind the safety practices and measurements that enabled the second campaign to take one night where the first took weeks.

“We are among the best in the world at developing and operating quantum computers, and even for us, the cost of keeping these machines at peak performance is high,” said Takuya Kitagawa, President of QuEra. “A customer expects the entire computer, and thus every subsystem, to hold itself together without a specialist in the room. This is why the results from the MHS research preview and Anthropic’s frontier AI models are so meaningful. We are making it far easier and cheaper to keep our computers running at their best.”

QuEra works deeply with a small number of companies chosen for strategic capabilities: Amazon Web Services for cloud delivery of Libra on Amazon Braket in 2028, HPE for on-premises HPC integration, and NVIDIA for accelerated computing. QuEra’s participation in the Model Hardware Standard research preview, applying AI agents to the control of quantum computing hardware, is an early example of AI partnerships.

Learn More

Read Anthropic’s MHS announcement Read the full technical write-up, with measurement detail and animations Explore the roadmap, covering Libra and QuEra’s next-generation gigaquop-class system Apply to the FTQC Founders Circle

About the Model Hardware Standard

The Model Hardware Standard (MHS) is a new standard for AI agents to safely operate physical equipment in scientific research and advanced manufacturing. It started as a collaboration between Anthropic and HHMI Janelia Research Campus and is currently in a limited research preview, with access by application while the safety design is validated. Devices declare bounds, interlocks, and emergency stops in the standard itself; AI agents inherit and operate within them by default.

About QuEra Computing

QuEra is putting quantum to work. As the scientific and commercial leader in neutral-atom quantum computing, we help enterprise innovators leverage quantum to gain competitive advantage, support HPC centers as their users tackle classically intractable problems, and enable government programs to build national and sovereign capabilities. We do this by combining our quantum systems, available on-premises and via the cloud, with application co-design and collaborative research. Born at Harvard and MIT and still advancing together, QuEra builds neutral-atom systems on a public, peer-reviewed path to fault tolerance, and operates globally from Boston, New Mexico, Tokyo, Zurich, and the United Kingdom. As quantum computing moves from “one day” to “Day One,” QuEra delivers practical impact today while leading the path toward large-scale, fault-tolerant systems. See what’s possible at www.quera.com.

Media Contact: press@quera.com 

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SOURCE QuEra Computing

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LPGA Tour Veteran Ryann O’Toole Wins 2026 Aon Risk Reward Challenge and $1 Million Prize

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After 15 years on the LPGA Tour, O’Toole earns a career-defining achievement through strategic decision-making, capping a standout season as she prepares to welcome her first child

NAPLES, Fla., Nov. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Aon plc (NYSE: AON), a leading global professional services firm, and the LPGA Tour today announced Ryann O’Toole as the winner of the 2026 Aon Risk Reward Challenge, earning the Aon trophy and $1 million prize.

O’Toole’s victory was built on a season of consistently making the right decisions when risk and opportunity were at its highest. Analysis of her performance on the Aon Risk Reward Challenge holes shows how she converted those moments into competitive advantage, finishing 22-under-par across her counting scores and delivering some of her best golf of the season when it mattered most.

Across 12 Challenge holes, with her two best scores counting on each, O’Toole finished 21-under-par on the par 5s, including four eagles. She hit 21 of 24 greens in regulation, or 87.5%, 22 percentage points higher than her overall season average and recorded 15 one-putts without a single three-putt.

Her performance on the Challenge holes reflected a broader transformation in her game. After ranking 125th on the LPGA Tour in par-5 scoring in 2025, O’Toole climbed to 11th in 2026, the best ranking of her 16-year career. At age 39, she also averaged a career-best 270.6 yards off the tee, combining improved distance with consistent execution to capitalize on opportunity throughout the season.

For O’Toole, those decisions extended beyond the golf course. Having built a commanding lead in the Challenge standings and secured the minimum number of rounds required to qualify, she made the decision to conclude her 2026 LPGA Tour season following the FM Championship as she prepared for the birth of her first child. It meant leaving the final outcome of the Challenge in the hands of the remaining field, confident in the position she had created through her performance across the season.

“Ryann is a veteran who knows exactly when to take a risk and how to deliver on it, and watching her win the 2026 Aon Risk Reward Challenge has been inspiring,” said Craig Kessler, LPGA Commissioner. “A year after going back to Q-Series to earn her card, Ryann finished on top while playing a limited schedule, all while navigating her pregnancy and supporting her brother in his recovery from a severe accident. That’s really special golf.”

“Aon’s philosophy of making better decisions in the face of uncertainty resonates with me more than ever this year,” said O’Toole. “Sometimes the greatest rewards come from continuing to trust yourself, staying committed to what matters most, and embracing the opportunities in front of you, even when the path doesn’t look exactly how you imagined.”

A 15-year veteran of the LPGA Tour, O’Toole has built a career defined by dedication, perseverance and longevity. Her 2026 Aon Risk Reward Challenge victory represents one of the most significant achievements of her professional career, with the $1 million prize nearly doubling her highest single-season on-course earnings.

“Ryann’s performance shows what better decision making looks like: understanding the risk, recognizing the opportunity and having the confidence to act when it matters most,” said Anne Corona, CEO of North America, Aon. “We are proud to celebrate her as the newest Aon Risk Reward Challenge champion, and we wish Ryann and her partner, Gina, all the best as they prepare to welcome their first child.”

O’Toole adds the Aon Risk Reward Challenge title to her list of career accomplishments, joining past champions Carlota Ciganda, Hannah Green, Minjee Lee, Angel Yin and Jeeno Thitikul and Jennifer Kupcho.

“For Ryann and Gina, as they get ready to welcome their son, I know this $1 million prize means a lot,” said Kessler. We’re so grateful to Aon for rewarding smart, brave golf and helping shine a light on stories like Ryann’s. Congratulations, Ryann – we can’t wait to see you back out here with your newest fan cheering you on.”

For more information on Aon’s sports partnerships across the PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, Scuderia Ferrari and Ferrari Hypersail, see here.  

About the Aon Risk Reward Challenge
In the seventh season, the Aon Risk Reward Challenge brings better decision-making to life though elite performance. The Challenge tabulates the two best scores from every participating event a player competes in with players required to compete in a minimum of 40 rounds throughout the season to qualify. Players must weigh risk and opportunity, while data and analysis provides insight into the decisions they make and how those decisions translate into performance.

The Challenge runs across 28 regular season tournaments with the Golf Channel as its official broadcast partner. Each week in broadcast, Aon provides insights specific to the Aon Risk Reward Challenge hole.  

To view the final Aon Risk Reward Challenge leaderboard on the LPGA Tour and for more information, click here. 

About Aon
Aon plc (NYSE: AON) exists to shape decisions for the better — to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world. Through actionable analytic insight, globally integrated Risk Capital and Human Capital expertise, and locally relevant solutions, our colleagues provide clients in over 120 countries with the clarity and confidence to make better risk and people decisions that protect and grow their businesses. 

Follow Aon on LinkedIn, X, Facebook and Instagram. Stay up-to-date by visiting Aon’s newsroom and sign up for news alerts here. 

About the LPGA
The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) is the world’s premier women’s professional golf organization. Created in 1950 by 13 pioneering female Founders, the LPGA, whose Members now represent nearly 40 countries, is the longest-standing professional women’s sports organization. Through the LPGA Tour, the Epson Tour, the LPGA Professionals, and a joint venture with the Ladies European Tour, the LPGA provides female professionals the opportunity to pursue their dreams in the game of golf at the highest level. In addition to its professional tours and teaching accreditation programs, the LPGA features a fully integrated Foundation, which provides best-in-class programming for female golfers through its junior golf programming, and its LPGA Amateurs division, which offers its members playing and learning opportunities around the world. The LPGA aims to use its unique platform to inspire, transform and advance opportunities for girls and women, on and off the golf course. 

Follow the LPGA online at www.LPGA.com and download its mobile apps on Apple or Google Play. Join the social conversation on Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram and YouTube. 

About the LPGA Tour  
The LPGA Tour is the world’s leading competitive destination for the best female professional golfers in the world. The Tour hosts 33 annual events across 13 countries for over 200 athletes, awarding total prize funds exceeding $132 million and reaching television audiences in more than 170 countries. 

Contacts:  
LPGA: 
Mallory Kinahan, Communications Coordinator
Mallory.kinahan@lpga.com

Aon:
mediainquiries@aon.com  
Toll-free (U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico): +1 833 751 8114  
International: +1 312 381 3024 

SOURCE Aon plc

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Another Vision of Modernization for the Asia-Pacific

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BEIJING, Nov. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A news report from China.org.cn on another vision of modernization for the Asia-Pacific.

Every winter, nearly 100,000 migratory birds fly south from Siberia and land in downtown Shenzhen. Year after year, what kind of city keeps drawing them back?

The answer begins at sea. At Nansha Port in Guangzhou stands the world’s first fully automated river-sea-rail multimodal terminal, where unmanned vehicles guided by BeiDou satellites operate around the clock. In the cold-chain center next door, the “Cherry Express” and “Durian Express” bring Asia-Pacific’s freshest fruit to Chinese tables, while Chinese-made goods set off from the same shore, for the same ocean.

Take a look inside the factories. In Shunde, Foshan, the world’s largest microwave oven manufacturing base — a World Economic Forum “Lighthouse Factory” — runs a single production line that flexibly switches between multiple models, selling to more than 100 countries and regions. In Dongguan, OPPO has filed over 120,000 patent applications worldwide; while an office chair, designed globally and made locally, now seats people in 127 countries. A complete supply chain and an open business ecosystem give manufacturers here confidence.

Now, let’s return to where the birds land. The Futian Mangrove Nature Reserve is China’s only national nature reserve in the heart of a city. In 2026, the International Mangrove Center began operating right here — the world’s first intergovernmental organization dedicated to mangrove conservation. During this year’s APEC Ministerial Meeting on Forestry, delegates from 21 economies planted mangrove seedlings to be transplanted into the reserve’s “APEC Ministers’ Forest.” And in nearby Zhongshan, Ming Yang is developing wind power solutions that now reach more than 60 countries. Here, growth and conservation are never mutually exclusive.

What holds all this together is the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge: Spanning 55 kilometers, it is the world’s longest sea crossing, handling over 107 million passenger trips by the end of 2025. In 2025, trade through the bridge’s ports of entry exceeded 300 billion yuan; with nearly 3 million cross-border e-commerce parcels crossing it every day as of July 2026. The bridge has not only boosted trade, but also brought people closer together. Despite occupying less than 0.6% of China’s land, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area generates about one-ninth of the national economy —bringing modernization into the lives of millions.

In 2026, as APEC comes to Shenzhen, the world will see China and another possibility: that modernization has no single standard answer, and the fast lane of development can still leave room for the flight paths of migratory birds. As cargo ships set sail, production lines hum, and the birds return on schedule,  this land is writing a practical, warm-hearted new chapter for the Asia-Pacific.

China Mosaic

http://www.china.org.cn/video/node_7230027.htm

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SOURCE China.org.cn

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Arch Systems Brings Its Factory AI Platform to Defense Manufacturers with FedRAMP Class D Certification Through Partnership with Knox Systems

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Defense manufacturers can now run Arch’s Data Foundation and its full Intelligence Layer of AI applications and agents inside secure, compliant infrastructure they own and control

PALO ALTO, Calif. and WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Arch Systems, a leader in manufacturing data and analytics solutions, today announced that its Data Foundation and full Intelligence Layer can be deployed in Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) Class D environments through partnership with Knox Systems (Knox), the largest, longest-running federal managed cloud. Defense manufacturers can now run the same platform, applications, and AI agents that power the world’s most advanced electronics and AI hardware factories, inside infrastructure they own and control.

Every defense manufacturer faces the same bind. The AI now transforming commercial factories depends on a data foundation that integrates machine data with Manufacturing Execution System (MES) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) context, enabling predictive insights and AI-guided actions on the floor. But defense work demands that this foundation sit inside infrastructure the manufacturer owns and controls. Until now, those two requirements were in tension: build and manage everything yourself, or go without.

The Knox partnership resolves that tension. Knox operates a FedRAMP Class D environment in which Arch stands up a single-tenant instance each customer owns and controls. Arch becomes part of the customer’s infrastructure, not an alternative to it. Manufacturers who prefer their existing private cloud can deploy there instead. Both paths deliver the same thing: the latest AI models, Arch’s data architecture, and full Arch support.

Arch built its track record in some of the most challenging factories in the world: mission-critical discrete goods, low-volume and high-mix production, and complex product types. It has worked with defense manufacturers for years, but only at the edge, and with the private-cloud half of its architecture out of reach. That full hybrid architecture is now available to defense customers for the first time, including the complete Data Foundation with Connector Platform, which unifies a mixed-vendor floor and its MES and ERP context into a single data model.

“For years, defense manufacturers had to build and manage their own infrastructure to run AI on the factory floor. Now they can deploy our commercial-grade platform, proven at scale, in a way that meets the strictest security requirements. They no longer have to choose between security and progress,” said Andrew Scheuermann, CEO of Arch Systems.

The rigorous and exclusive FedRAMP program is designed to standardize security assessment and authorization for cloud service offerings, accelerating the adoption of government-grade cloud solutions by federal agencies. Knox reduced the authorization bottleneck and compliance timelines for Arch, while also enabling the company to handle Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). Controlled data can flow into that same unified model, and the AI agents built on it can go to work on the business cases where the stakes are highest.

“Defense manufacturers have had to choose between the AI capabilities they need and the infrastructure controls their mission demands,” said Irina Denisenko, CEO of Knox Systems. “Knox exists to close that gap. By partnering with Arch, we’re giving defense manufacturers a direct path to the same AI-driven factory intelligence commercial industry already relies on without asking them to compromise on security.”

These capabilities are generally available now to qualified federal, defense, and regulated manufacturing customers. Learn more at Arch Systems. To learn more about FedRAMP Certification via Knox, visit knoxsystems.com.

About Arch Systems

Arch Systems delivers AI-powered factory intelligence that helps manufacturers improve performance, reduce downtime, and enhance efficiency across their operations. By turning factory data into real-time decisions and actions, Arch enables teams to scale expertise, improve key performance indicators, and drive consistent outcomes across global manufacturing environments.

About Knox Systems

Knox Systems operates the largest managed federal cloud, trusted by top agencies and partners across defense and civilian sectors. Built for speed, resilience, and compliance, Knox delivers FedRAMP authorization in 90 days – turning the biggest bottleneck in government IT into the fastest path to modernization. Knox proudly serves Adobe, Celonis, OutSystems, Armis, BigID, and more AI and SaaS providers, accelerating secure innovation across the federal landscape. Learn more at knoxsystems.com.

Media contacts: media@archsys.io, knox@w2comm.com

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SOURCE Knox Systems, Inc

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