According to Australian media reports, tech giant Microsoft has shut down its quantum computing research facility in Australia after seven years of collaboration with the University of Sydney. Microsoft also confirmed this week that it would close Microsoft Quantum Sydney, which it has been running in collaboration with the University of Sydney since 2017, and relocate its quantum research and commercialisation efforts to its headquarters in the United States.

Microsoft recently announced the launch of two new purpose-built capabilities for Azure Quantum Elements: Generative Chemistry and Accelerated Density Functional Theory (DFT), aiming to further increase the productivity and accessibility of chemistry and materials science research. Generative Chemistry can scientists discover novel, synthesizable, and useful molecules quickly. Accelerated DFT offers substantial increases in speed compared to other density functional theory codes.