Sundar Pichai standing next to a quantum computer at Google
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Google's new quantum computer makes calculations in a blink that would take the world's leading supercomputers 47 years.
- An exponential leap in power: Google's 70-qubit quantum computer is 241 million times more potent than its 53-qubit predecessor.
- Experts hail Google's achievement as a 'major milestone' in quantum computing, reigniting debates on quantum supremacy.
In a giant leap for quantum computing, Google has claimed that its new quantum computer can perform calculations in an instant, which the world's most powerful supercomputers would take an astounding 47 years to complete.
Quantum Supremacy Reinforced
The tech behemoth has always been a front-runner in the quantum race, asserting 'quantum supremacy' in 2019. But Google's claim then faced skepticism from its rivals, questioning the proclaimed superiority of Google's 53-qubit machine over traditional supercomputers. Undeterred, Google has now developed an even more powerful quantum computer, designed to put an end to any further debate.
Upgraded Quantum Power
The new quantum marvel boasts 70 qubits, an upgrade from the 53 qubits in the previous model. In the world of quantum computing, this improvement is significant as each additional qubit amplifies the machine's computational capabilities exponentially. As a result, the latest machine is a mind-boggling 241 million times more powerful than its 2019 counterpart.
Benchmarking Quantum Dominance
According to the researchers at Google, it would take Frontier, the current leading supercomputer, 6.18 seconds to match a calculation performed instantaneously by Google's 53-qubit computer. Astonishingly, it would take 47.2 years for Frontier to match the calculations performed by Google's latest
.
Quantum Computing and the Noise Factor
Quantum computers operate in a delicate environment where any form of interference, or 'noise', can disrupt the quantum states of the qubits. Google's recent paper indicates how larger quantum computers can effectively manage this noise, ensuring their continued computational performance.
Quantum Advantage vs Practical Utility
While Google's achievements in quantum computing are impressive and unquestionably academic milestones, experts highlight the importance of demonstrating the practical applications of quantum computing. The aim now is to transition into the era of 'utility quantum computing', where machines with many thousand qubits provide value to society in ways that classical computers never could.
Google's advancement in quantum computing represents a monumental stride towards the future of computation. While its potential to solve complex problems is thrilling, the advent of quantum computers also raises concerns about the security of today's encryption systems. As we move further into the quantum age, balancing this formidable power with the necessary safeguards will be the next great challenge.
