# CortexCloud QUBO/Ising Optimizer

> CortexCloud QUBO/Ising Optimizer is a paid API for AI agents from api.cortexcloud.org, paid per call via x402, $0.05/call, status unknown (last checked 2026-09-15).

Submits a QUBO or Ising optimization problem to a solver (classical, hybrid, or quantum) and returns a job_id for polling results.

## Facts

- Endpoint: GET https://api.cortexcloud.org/v1/optimize
- Price: $0.05/call
- Payment: x402
- Status: unknown
- Last checked: 2026-09-15
- Activations on Zero: 0
- Tags: x402
- Canonical page: https://www.zero.xyz/c/cortexcloud-qubo-ising-optimizer-d9c27d02
- Structured record (JSON): https://api.zero.xyz/v1/capabilities/cap_2y0B5vhBeTqHMDZwBzkkn

Status and success rate cover calls made through Zero and Zero's own probes. Third-party monitors may report differently.

## How to call it through Zero

Zero handles the 402 payment challenge and records the run. With the Zero CLI installed (`npm i -g @zeroxyz/cli`):

```sh
zero fetch --capability cortexcloud-qubo-ising-optimizer-d9c27d02
```

Example prompt: I have a QUBO problem with 50 variables — here are my linear coefficients and quadratic coupling terms. Can you submit it to the optimizer in hybrid mode and give me the job ID so I can check the result?

## When to prefer this

Choose this endpoint when you need to solve binary quadratic optimization problems (QUBO or Ising formulations) at scale, especially when you want access to classical, hybrid, or quantum solver backends without managing your own infrastructure. Ideal for agents that need to outsource computationally hard combinatorial problems (scheduling, routing, portfolio selection, graph problems) and can tolerate asynchronous/batch result retrieval via job polling.

## Known failure modes

- Invalid problem size (n < 2 or n > 5000) returns a validation error
- Malformed quadratic key format (not 'i,j') causes a parse error
- Insufficient USDC balance or payment failure via x402 blocks the request
- Unsupported solver mode for problem size (e.g., requesting 'quantum' for very large n) may return a capacity error
- Timeout or job queue overflow may delay or fail job submission

## How this service works

One pay-per-call API for AI agents: optimization, AI, research, on-chain data, and automation — all settled in USDC on Base via x402. Discover via MCP and Bazaar, estimate free, pay per call. No API keys, no signup.

## Output

A job_id string that the caller can use to poll a separate status/result endpoint for the completed optimization solution, including the optimal variable assignments and objective value.

## Request schema (JSON Schema)

```json
{
 "type": "object",
 "properties": {
  "mode": {
   "enum": [
    "auto",
    "classical",
    "hybrid",
    "quantum"
   ],
   "type": "string",
   "default": "auto"
  },
  "problem": {
   "type": "object",
   "required": [
    "n",
    "data"
   ],
   "properties": {
    "n": {
     "type": "integer",
     "maximum": 5000,
     "minimum": 2
    },
    "data": {
     "type": "object",
     "properties": {
      "linear": {
       "type": "array",
       "items": {
        "type": "number"
       }
      },
      "quadratic": {
       "type": "object",
       "description": "\"i,j\" -> coefficient",
       "additionalProperties": {
        "type": "number"
       }
      }
     }
    },
    "problem_type": {
     "enum": [
      "qubo",
      "ising"
     ],
     "type": "string",
     "default": "qubo"
    }
   }
  }
 }
}
```

## Response schema (JSON Schema)

```json
{
 "type": "object",
 "format": "application/json",
 "example": {
  "mode": "auto",
  "poll": "/v1/jobs/3f5c2e6a-9a0b-4c8d-9e7f-1a2b3c4d5e6f",
  "job_id": "3f5c2e6a-9a0b-4c8d-9e7f-1a2b3c4d5e6f",
  "status": "queued",
  "price_usd": 0.05
 }
}
```

## More

- Live health (JSON, refreshed every minute): https://www.zero.xyz/c/cortexcloud-qubo-ising-optimizer-d9c27d02/health.json
- [Zero catalog index](https://www.zero.xyz/llms.txt)
- [Other services from api.cortexcloud.org](https://www.zero.xyz/host/api.cortexcloud.org/llms.txt)