ML4QT Symposium | Machine Learning to Advance Quantum Technologies
Fostering exchange and collaboration among experts from academia, research institutions, and industry.
The Machine Learning to Advance Quantum Technologies (ML4QT) Symposium serves as a leading forum for researchers and developers interested in the convergence of machine learning and quantum innovation. Whether you are actively working in this space or seeking to get involved, ML4QT provides an ideal environment to discover new opportunities, foster collaboration, and help drive the next generation of quantum technologies.
This second annual gathering will be held at the Institute for Quantum Computing, within the Quantum-Nano Centre, University of Waterloo from the 23 to 25 of September 2026.
Important Dates
- July 1, 2026|Call for Contribution Submission Deadline
- July 1, 2026 | General Registration Opens
- August 1, 2026 | Contribution Decision Notifications
- September 1, 2026 | Registration Closes
- September 23 - 25 | ML4QT Symposium
Have questions about the event? Contact us at iqc.events@uwaterloo.ca
Travelling to Waterloo?
Those attending ML4QT are invited to take advantage of our discounted room rate with Delta Hotels Waterloo for the duration of the Symposium.
The special group rate of $274.00 CAD per night will only be available to reserve until August 20, 2026.
Book your group rate for the ML4QT Symposium Room Block here
Invited Speakers
Barry Sanders, University of Calgary
Artificial Intelligence for Representing and Characterizing Quantum Systems
I review how integrating AI into quantum-system characterisation is typically based on machine learning, deep learning and language models for the core tasks of quantum-property prediction and quantum-system reconstruction with applications to certification, benchmarking, enhancing quantum information processing and identifying critical quantum phenomena. https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.04923
Connor van Rossum, University of Queensland
Can noise help quantum algorithms? Insights from sampling and variational methods
Quantum algorithms typically claim to be resource efficient relative to classical algorithms but it is well known that this performance differential may vanish under realistic operating conditions or noise. While the field has developed strategies to retain quantum advantage, the interaction between quantum and classical resources is often ignored but critically determines the efficacy of quantum algorithms. Our first result, in the context of noisy quantum variational learning, shows that performance depends on how noise interacts with classical optimisation. I show that commonly used subroutines in error‑mitigation strategies such as Pauli twirling can degrade variational optimisation by suppressing gradients and reducing expressivity. In contrast, biased or non‑unital noise can introduce exploitable structure that improves optimisation outcomes. Through analytical and numerical studies, this work demonstrates that preserving noise asymmetries can lead to better performance than symmetrising noise, challenging standard assumptions about mitigation in the variational setting. In recent times, quantum variational models have evolved towards sample-based quantum algorithms for chemistry. For the specific example of Sample‑based Quantum Diagonalisation (SQD), in our second result, I show that noise enables a higher unique sampling rate that allow classical stochastic algorithms to outperform quantum algorithms for naively designed chemistry demonstrations. I discuss that standard error mitigation is not useful for these algorithms, before showing how machine learning can enable better ansatze design and measurement techniques to not only increase the unique sampling rate but ensure noise-robustness and resource efficiency of these demonstrations.
Manas Mukherjee, National University of Singapore
Seeking advantage in Quantum-Classical Machine Learning with trapped ion system
Quantum technologies, specifically Quantum Computing (QC), represent a paradigm shift in computational power. However, the roadmap to utility is hindered by the inherent fragility of quantum states—a hurdle that makes scaling the industry’s greatest challenge.
To address this, we have developed a quantum-classical hybrid framework designed to push the boundaries of Quantum Machine Learning (QML). By leveraging the trapped-ion platform—noted for its superior coherence times and high gate fidelities—we have demonstrated that quantum classifiers can achieve over 98% fidelity in supervised learning tasks using real-world datasets [1, 2].
While achieving parity with classical systems is a significant milestone, our current research pivots toward the ultimate goal: identifying the specific parameters and architectures where QML provides a definitive advantage over classical counterparts. Here, we will discuss detail of our findings across varied application contexts, highlighting the conditions under which quantum enhancement becomes a reality.
[1] 10.1103/physreva.106.012411
[2] 10.1016/j.isci.2025.113058
Yuval Baum, Q-CTRL
AI enhanced infrastructure software: integrating machine learning across the quantum computing stack
Quantum computers promise to revolutionize computing and have made incredible hardware strides, but they remain notoriously error-prone. While low-level control tweaks and clever circuit design can compensate for these hardware errors, current techniques require the availability of highly detailed noise models, deep algorithmic knowledge, and labor-intensive manual tuning. Because of this, they rarely generalize beyond a few narrow use cases.
In this talk, I will show how machine learning (ML) can be integrated across the entire quantum computing stack to solve this bottleneck. We will explore how ML methods outperform traditional techniques at every level: from device and gate calibration at the bottom, to compilation and error suppression in the middle, up to algorithmic optimization and quantum error correction at the top.
Shayan Majidy, Harvard University
Topic TBC
Christine Muschik, University of Waterloo
Topic TBC
Lirandë Pira, National University of Singapore
Topic TBC
Nathan Wiebe, University of Toronto
Topic TBC
Aida Ahmadzadegan-Shapiro, D-Wave
Topic TBC
Kevin Qu, University of Waterloo
Topic TBC
Virginia Frey, University of Waterloo
Topic TBC
Wolfgang Mauerer, OTH Regensburg
Machine Learning, Quanta, and the Extraction of Physical Compute Power
Quantum computing’s industrial and scientific impact depends on more than established computational advantages; it requires progress across algorithms, architecture, engineering, and foundational concepts. This talk advocates a vertically integrated, interdisciplinary systems perspective. We discuss how machine learning can help extract greater value from quantum systems by reducing unnecessary classical computation in hybrid algorithms and improving use of available quantum resources. We argue that this broader framing can reveal deeper structural origins of quantum advantage and inspire new views of learning.
Roman Krems, University of British Columbia
Topic TBC
Pierre-Emanuel Emeriau, Quandela
Topic TBC
ML4QT Organizing Committee
Achim Kempf
Christian Tutschku
Christine Muschik
Lirandë Pira
Virginia Frey
Marco Roth