The track, titled RECURSE, is the result of a collaboration between MOTH and acclaimed electronic artist ILĀ – and marks a major step towards the availability of real-world, consumer-facing applications of quantum.

At the heart of the project is Archaeo, MOTH’s proprietary platform, which blends the creative capabilities of generative AI with the power of quantum machine learning.

Unlike conventional AI tools, Archaeo doesn’t scrape copyrighted content or mine vast online datasets. Instead, it learns from small, artist-created inputs allowing for powerful generative results while protecting originality, authorship and creative integrity.

RECURSE will launch on all major streaming platforms on May 2, and will also be showcased online via a 24/7 interactive stream, RECURSE [infinite mix], that generates and evolves in real-time.

Dr Ilana Wisby, CEO of MOTH, said: “This is a defining moment – not just for MOTH, but for the future of creativity itself. RECURSE demonstrates the power of quantum AI to support and enhance, and not just take from, artists. It’s a blueprint for a new kind of creative technology – one that’s driven by imagination, rooted in ethics and designed to serve artists, not replace them.

“With Archaeo, we’ve supercharged generative AI by plugging a quantum capability into the engine room empowering artists like ILĀ to break new creative boundaries in ways never before possible.”

Commenting on the collaboration ILĀ said: “Working with MOTH’s technology was a fascinating experience and has helped me create something genuinely new which feels like it's pushing boundaries.

“As a tool it focuses on expanding creative possibilities rather than simply replacing the artist. This feels very much like a collaboration – working with a technology that's pushing me to do new, interesting and surprising things.

“This is a big step away from standard AI tools which generate the average of averages and are creating a kind of ubiquity in sound and music.

“It feels very refreshing to use a technology that has been built to work with you - not simply replace you. This approach produces something much more human led which feels more authentic in creative terms.”

AI versus Quantum AI

While traditional AI excels at identifying patterns and predicting outcomes based on what’s come before, it is ultimately trained on and confined by the past. Even its most ‘creative’ outputs are, at their core, highly refined remixes – extrapolations or iterations of data that already exist.

Quantum technology, by contrast, is not trained on the past – it is rooted in possibility. Quantum systems are inherently non-deterministic, meaning they don't predict the most likely outcome; they generate the unexpected. This makes quantum a radically different creative engine – one that doesn't just replicate or remix, but instead unlocks entirely new outcomes. It doesn’t know what comes next. It creates it.

“AI predicts what’s likely. Quantum reveals what’s possible,” added Dr. Wisby. “That’s the future we’re building. Archaeo isn’t just another generative AI tool – it’s a quantum-powered engine for creativity.

“Our collaboration with ILĀ is a demonstration of what’s possible when we stop training models on the past and start creating tools that empower artists to define the future on their own terms.”

MOTH’s achievement marks one of the first real-world, consumer-facing applications of quantum computing and paves the way for a new generation of creative and commercial tools powered by quantum intelligence across music, gaming, media, and beyond. Archaeo has already been applied to gaming, with MOTH generating Super Mario Bros levels using the same generative quantum technology that powers RECURSE.

The ILA collaboration and MOTH technology explained

As artists and musicians increasingly explore AI as part of their creative toolkit, many are raising concerns over the ethics of existing systems, which often rely on datasets built from copyrighted works without consent.

MOTH takes a different path.

Archaeo’s architecture is built from the ground up to respect ownership, using a small corpus of original input to generate new work that reflects the voice and vision of the creator.  Unlike traditional AI models that rely on massive, ethically murky datasets scraped from the internet, MOTH’s quantum platform works with small, high-quality datasets created in collaboration with the artist. That means greater creative control, and an entirely new process of co-creation between artist and algorithm.

ILĀ’s original audio inputs were used to train a custom AI model via a plugin integrated into their Ableton workflow. The system generated MIDI sequences for individual stems of bass, synth, and drums, while ILĀ retained full artistic control over instrumentation, effects, and arrangement.

Final sequences were enhanced using real quantum hardware provided by IQM Quantum Computers, demonstrating a fully integrated, hybrid creative workflow.

At the core of the Archaeo system is a form of quantum machine learning known as Quantum Reservoir Computing (QRC) – a cutting-edge architecture that allows the software to spot and replicate subtle musical patterns. This generative music approach was first developed by MOTH, in collaboration with advisor Prof. Eduardo Miranda.

A glimpse into the future of quantum for consumers

While this launch focuses on music, MOTH’s ambition reaches far beyond audio.

From immersive gaming to art, digital media and content creation, Archaeo represents a powerful alternative to conventional AI platforms and showcases the potential of quantum technology as a viable technology for consumer applications.

Until now, most advances in quantum have remained locked in specialist sectors such as pharmaceuticals, finance or cybersecurity. MOTH is changing that.

“This project is a demonstration of how quantum computing can enhance everyday tools and workflows,” added Dr Wisby. “We’re not just building tech for tech’s sake, we’re building tools that empower, inspire, and drive a new era of media and creativity.”

MOTH – the company behind the breakthrough

MOTH is the first and only consumer-facing quantum technologies company, with a mission to make quantum useful and accessible. Based in the UK and backed by significant funding, the company is positioning itself as a challenger to the status quo developing quantum-powered solutions that solve real problems and unleash new possibilities.

The company recently announced the appointment of Dr Wisby as CEO who is one of the UK’s most respected and successful quantum leaders. Previously the founding CEO of Oxford Quantum Circuits, Wisby scaled the business from startup to global company, helping secure $100 million in Series B funding and establishing the UK’s first commercially available quantum computing platform.

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