Google has claimed to be superior to conventional machines
Google has created , a quantum computing machine which can perform calculations in seconds that would otherwise take 47 years for the best supercomputers. This is a major breakthrough that will prove beyond doubt the superiority of the experimental machines over their conventional competitors.
Google researchers published a paper online claiming that their latest technology was “beyond existing supercomputers”.
The proponents of the quantum computer say that the technology relies on peculiar quantum states and can create extremely powerful machines capable of battling climate change or creating breakthrough drugs.
They also pose a threat to today’s cryptographic systems, which makes them a priority for national security.
Four years ago, Google announced that it was the first company in the world to achieve “quantum superiority”. This is a point where quantum computers surpass current machines.
At the time, rivals argued that Google exaggerated the differences between its machine and supercomputers.
The new paper by the company – Phase Transition in Random Circuit Sampling, published on the open-access science website ArXiv – demonstrates an even more powerful tool that aims at ending the debate.
The next-generation device will have 70 qubits instead of the 53 qubits in the machine that was released in 2019.
The power of a quantum machine increases exponentially with the addition of more qubits. This means that the new machine has 241 million more times the power than the machine from 2019.
Researchers said that it would take Frontier, which is the world’s most powerful supercomputer, 6,18 seconds to match an algorithm from Google’s 53 qubit computer, dating from 2019. It would take 47,2 years for Frontier to match the latest calculation from Google’s 53-qubit computer.
Researchers claim their latest quantum computers are more powerful than those of a Chinese laboratory, which is considered a leader in this field. Google’s paper shows how large quantum computers can handle “noise”, which is interference that could disrupt the fragile states of qubits, to continue making calculations.
Researchers said: “We conclude our demonstration is firmly within the regime of beyond classical quantum computation.”
The rival machines were compared on a randomisation test that critics claim favours quantum computers, and has no practical value outside of academic study.
Steve Brierley is the chief executive officer of Cambridge based quantum company Riverlane. He said, “This is an important milestone.” The debate over whether or not we could achieve quantum dominance is now settled.”
Sebastian Weidt is the CEO of Universal Quantum in Brighton. He said that quantum computers need to show more practical functions.
He said: This is a nice demonstration of quantum advantages. The algorithm is a huge academic achievement, but it has no real-world practical applications.
“We must move to utility quantum computing, where computers with thousands of qubits can deliver real value to society. This is something that classic computers will never be able do.”