Microsoft says new computing service for chemicals can slash R&D time

A man stands inside the Microsoft Experience Center in New York City, U.S., January 18, 2023. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton

Microsoft Corp on Wednesday introduced a new computing service aimed at helping chemical companies speed up the research and development of new materials.

Azure Quantum Elements, as the service is called, relies on computing power to help chemical companies simulate huge numbers of possible combinations of atoms. The point is to use computers to explore possible new materials virtually and then simulate how those materials would interact with the real world.