In a move aimed at achieving technology independence and fostering a global quantum ecosystem, China has officially made its first domestically developed quantum computer operating system, Origin Pilot, available for public online download. Developed by the Hefei-based Origin Quantum Computing Technology Co., the release marks a significant shift from closed-door innovation to an open-source model.
The operating system is currently deployed on the OriginQ Wukong series, China’s third-generation superconducting quantum computer. According to the Anhui Quantum Computing Engineering Research Center, this is the first time a full quantum OS has been made available for local deployment and download globally, distinguishing it from Western frameworks like IBM’s Qiskit or Google’s Cirq, which are primarily accessed via the cloud.
Technical Capabilities: Orchestrating the “Soft Heart”
Origin Pilot is described as an integrated quantum-classical-intelligent (AI) operating system. It is designed to manage the high sensitivity of qubits while coordinating with classical computing resources. Key features include:
- Multi-Hardware Compatibility: Supports major technological pathways including superconducting qubits, trapped ions, and neutral atoms.
- Resource Efficiency: Features parallel execution of quantum tasks and automatic qubit calibration, which developers claim can multiply quantum resource efficiency compared to manual setups.
- Unified Interface: Provides a standardized driver system and a unified programming interface to lower development barriers for researchers and commercial users.
- Framework Integration: Allows users to execute jobs across different physical chips using autonomous programming frameworks like QPanda.
Strategic Importance and Global Reach
The decision to open-source the “soft heart” of China’s quantum stack is a calculated move within the nation’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), which identifies quantum technology as a prioritized future industry.
- Ecosystem Growth: By allowing global download, China seeks to establish a de facto standard in quantum software and attract international developers.
- Technological Sovereignty: Building a sovereign stack—from hardware and chips to the OS—ensures an ecosystem independent of international export restrictions.
- Proven Scale: The underlying OriginQ Wukong hardware (featuring 72 functional qubits and 126 coupler qubits) has already executed over 339,000 quantum jobs for users in 120+ countries, with American researchers reportedly among the most active users.
Origin Pilot is released in two versions: a Community Edition for free download (focusing on noise mitigation and hybrid compilation) and an Enterprise Edition which includes advanced post-quantum cryptography tools for industrial-scale deployment.
For technical documentation and download instructions, visit the official Origin Quantum website at originqc.com.cn. Additional reporting on the launch can be found via the Global Times here and China Daily here.
March 7, 2026