British quantum computing start-up spun out of Oxford University snapped up by US rival in £800m deal
A British quantum computing start-up spun out of Oxford University has been snapped up by a US rival.
Oxford Ionics agreed to an £800million takeover by Maryland-based quantum computing firm IonQ.
Set up in 2019 by Oxford University physicists Chris Ballance and Tom Harty, Oxford Ionics is trying to develop one of the most accurate quantum computing machines.
The group's founders and 80 staff will join IonQ when the deal is done.
Oxford Ionics investors include British hedge fund Lansdowne Partners and Hermann Hauser, the founder of Cambridge-based chip giant Arm.
Ballance said: 'We're tremendously excited to work alongside the teams at IonQ.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Glasgow Times
21 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Luxury UK car makers hit by ‘multiple geopolitical headwinds'
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said companies such as Aston Martin, McLaren and Morgan are having to cope with volatile trading conditions, decarbonisation rules and production cost pressures. The study found the total turnover of the UK's high-value, small-volume manufacturers in 2024 was more than £5.5 billion, with around nine in 10 of their vehicles shipped overseas. They were responsible for just 4% of the UK's car production, but accounted for 12% of its value. In excess of 15,000 people are employed in high-skilled, well-paid jobs by the companies, the SMMT found. The report stated: 'The UK's small volume manufacturers face a series of challenges … (which) threaten competitiveness and growth.' SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: 'Britain's luxury, performance and niche vehicle makers are exemplars of automotive design, engineering and manufacturing – and a quintessential British success story. 'Government rightly recognises the importance of these high-value and iconic brands to the UK economy and, amid multiple geopolitical headwinds, the industry is looking to work together to ensure the sector can not just survive but thrive. 'A successful sector would deliver the economic growth, well-paid jobs and exports that Government craves, helping keep Britain firmly on the global automotive map.' Industry minister Sarah Jones, said: 'Our luxury automotive manufacturers are iconic British brands recognised worldwide, and this report rightly highlights the huge contribution they make to the UK economy. 'We're ensuring our carmakers go from strength to strength as we deliver our Plan for Change, and we've already secured landmark trade deals with the US and India, which will cut tariffs for the sector and create new export opportunities. 'Our modern industrial strategy will set out a long-term plan to support our manufacturers, including by creating the right conditions for increased investment, bringing growth, jobs and opportunities to every part of the UK.' The UK-US trade deal was confirmed in a call between Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump on May 8. It included American tariffs on UK cars being 10% for the first 100,000 vehicles exported. Mr Trump had previously set the tariff rate on car exports to the US at 27.5%.
BBC News
24 minutes ago
- BBC News
Teachers can use AI to save time on marking, new guidance says
Teachers in England can use artificial intelligence (AI) to speed up marking and write letters home to parents, new government guidance materials being distributed to schools, first seen exclusively by the BBC, say teachers can use the technology to "help automate routine tasks" and focus instead on "quality face-to-face time".Teachers should be transparent about their use of AI and always check its results, the Department for Education (DfE) Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) said it could "free up time for face-to-face teaching" but there were still "big issues" to be resolved. BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, said it was an "important step forward" but teachers would "want clarity on exactly how they should be telling... parents where they've used AI". Teachers and pupils have already been experimenting with AI, and the DfE has previously supported its use among this is the first time it has produced training materials and guidance for schools outlining how they should and should not use DfE says AI should only be used for "low-stakes" marking such as quizzes or homework, and teachers must check its also give teachers permission to use AI to write "routine" letters to section demonstrates how it could be used to generate a letter about a head lice outbreak, for example. Emma Darcy, a secondary school leader who works as a consultant to support other schools with AI and digital strategy, said teachers had "almost a moral responsibility" to learn how to use it because pupils were already doing so "in great depth"."If we're not using these tools ourselves as educators, we're not going to be able to confidently support our young people with using them," she she warned that the opportunities were accompanied by risks such as "potential data breaches" and marking errors."AI can come up with made-up quotes, facts [and] information," she said. "You have to make sure that you don't outsource whatever you're doing fully to AI." The DfE guidance says schools should have clear policies on AI, including when teachers and pupils can and cannot use it, and that manual checks are the best way to spot whether students are using it to cheat. It also says only approved tools should be used and pupils should be taught to recognise deepfakes and other misinformation. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the guidance aimed to "cut workloads"."We're putting cutting-edge AI tools into the hands of our brilliant teachers to enhance how our children learn and develop – freeing teachers from paperwork so they can focus on what parents and pupils need most: inspiring teaching and personalised support," she Di'Iasio, ASCL general secretary, said many schools and colleges were already "safely and effectively using AI" and it had the potential to ease heavy staff workloads and as a result, help recruitment and retention challenges."However, there are some big issues," he added. "Budgets are extremely tight because of the huge financial pressures on the education sector and realising the potential benefits of AI requires investment."Research from BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, at the end of last year suggested that most teachers were not using AI, and there was a worry among those who were about telling their school. But Julia Adamson, its managing director for education, said the guidance "feels like an important step forward".She added: "Teachers will want clarity on exactly how they should be telling those parents where they've used AI, for example in writing emails, to avoid additional pressures and reporting burdens."The Scottish and Welsh governments have both said AI can support with tasks such as marking, as long as it is used professionally and in Northern Ireland, last week education minister Paul Givan announced that a study by Oxford Brookes University would evaluate how AI could improve education outcomes for some pupils.
Times
an hour ago
- Times
Senior creditors submit £5bn plan to keep Thames Water afloat
Senior creditors of Thames Water, including some of the top names in finance, have submitted a £5 billion rescue plan for the deeply troubled privatised regional monopoly. Any such deal appears to hang on Ofwat, the industry regulator, being prepared to postpone fines and investigations into the company's past wrongdoing and to renegotiate performance targets, including penalties if targets are missed, which have been set for the next five years. Last week the American buyout giant KKR walked away from a planned £4 billion rescue of Thames Water days after Ofwat decided to go ahead with a decision to fine Thames £123 million for pollution breaches and for paying dividends that had been expressly forbidden. It is understood that KKR quit after deciding that political and regulatory issues, and the public opprobrium around its plans, were too much of an obstacle.
