Google has developed a groundbreaking quantum computer. picture. PAP/EPA/JUSTIN LANE
Google has developed a groundbreaking quantum computer that instantly performs calculations that would take decades for other supercomputers. The Telegraph quotes its designers as saying that the company’s latest technology “transcends the capabilities of today’s classic supercomputers”.
Supporters of quantum computers claim that the technology, based on certain states of quantum physics, can create extremely powerful machines capable of, for example, combating climate change and creating advanced medicines.
However, they also threaten to weaken existing encryption systems, which are a national security priority.
Four years ago, Google announced that it was the first company to achieve “quantum supremacy” – a milestone at which quantum computers are superior to existing machines.
This was disputed at the time by competitors who argued that Google was exaggerating the difference between its hardware and traditional supercomputers.
The company’s new paper, “Phase transition in random circuit samples” — published on the open-access science website ArXiv — shows a more powerful device to end this contention, the Telegraph writes.
While the 2019 machine has 53 qubits, the building blocks of quantum computing, the next generation machine has 70.
Adding more qubits greatly increases the power of the quantum computer, meaning the new machine is 241 million times faster than the 2019 machine.
The researchers said that Frontier, the world’s leading supercomputer, would take 6.18 seconds to perform one of the calculations of a 53-qubit Google computer for 2019. By comparison, it would take 47.2 years to complete the calculation of the latest quantum computer.
“This is a significant achievement,” said Steve Brierley, chief executive of Cambridge-based quantum firm Riverlane. “The controversy over whether we have achieved, or indeed can achieve, quantum supremacy has been resolved.”
However, Sebastian Weidt, chief executive of Brighton-based start-up Universal Quantum, said quantum computing is needed to show more practical functionality: “It’s a very nice demonstration of a quantum feature. While this is a great academic achievement, the algorithm used has no practical applications in the world.” Real “. Therefore, we are faced with the task of transitioning to the application of quantum computing – an era when quantum computers containing many thousands of qubits begin to provide benefits to society in a way that classical computers will never be able to achieve – he added.
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