Google Claims Breakthrough in Quantum Computing with New Chip Design

 Google Claims Breakthrough in Quantum Computing with New Chip Design

Google recently announced a major breakthrough in quantum computing, revealing a new chip called Willow that solved a complex problem in just five minutes. In comparison, a traditional computer would need a billion years to achieve the same result, even under ideal conditions. 

While the problem itself isn't directly useful for everyday tasks, Google believes that quantum computers like Willow could eventually help solve big challenges in fields like medicine, artificial intelligence, and battery technology, which current computers can't handle.

The Willow chip has 105 "qubits," the building blocks of quantum computers. Qubits are powerful but can easily be disrupted by tiny particles or even cosmic events. As more qubits are added to a chip, the risk of errors increases, which can make the chip no better than a regular computer. 

To solve this, researchers have been working on "quantum error correction" since the 1990s. Google’s Willow chip uses a new approach that reduces errors as more qubits are added, making the chip more reliable. Google also says it can fix errors in real time, which is a crucial step toward making quantum computers practical for real-world applications.

This announcement comes after a challenge in 2019, when IBM questioned Google’s earlier claims about its quantum computer’s capabilities. While Google had said its quantum chip could solve a problem that would take a classical computer 10,000 years, IBM argued it could be done in just two-and-a-half days with a different approach. However, in its latest estimates, Google now claims that even under the best conditions, a classical computer would still need a billion years to match Willow's performance.

Though other companies are working on quantum chips with more qubits, Google is focusing on creating the most reliable qubits possible. To support this effort, Google has built its own specialized facility to produce the Willow chips, speeding up the production process and allowing for faster testing and development.