Google Advances in Quantum Computing

By Stephen Nellis

SANTA BARBARA, California (Reuters) – Google announced on Monday that it has successfully tackled a significant challenge in quantum computing with a new generation of chip. The company solved a computing problem in just five minutes that would take a classical computer longer than the age of the universe.

Like other tech giants such as Microsoft and IBM, Google is pursuing quantum computing due to its potential to achieve computing speeds much faster than the fastest existing systems. Though the mathematical problem resolved by Google’s quantum lab in Santa Barbara does not have immediate commercial applications, the company envisions quantum computers eventually addressing complex problems in fields like medicine, battery chemistry, and artificial intelligence that are currently unmanageable for classical computers.

The announcement reveals a new chip called Willow, equipped with 105 “qubits,” the essential units of quantum computers. While qubits are speedy, they are also susceptible to errors caused by even the slightest disturbances, like a subatomic particle.

As researchers increase the number of qubits on a chip, error rates can compound, making the chip's performance comparable to that of traditional computer chips. Since the 1990s, scientists have sought ways to manage quantum error correction.

In a paper published in the journal Nature, Google detailed how they have connected the qubits on the Willow chip so that error rates decrease as more qubits are added. Moreover, the company claims it can correct these errors in real time, marking a key advancement in making quantum machines practical for broader use.

“We are past the break-even point,” said Hartmut Neven, head of Google Quantum AI, in an interview.

In 2019, IBM disputed Google’s earlier assertions that its quantum chip could solve a problem requiring 10,000 years for classical systems, claiming it could complete the same task in 2.5 days under different conditions. Google acknowledged some of these criticisms in its latest estimates, stating that even under optimal circumstances, a classical computer would take about a billion years to match its latest chip’s results.

While certain competitors are producing chips with more qubits, Google is concentrating on ensuring the reliability of its qubits, according to Anthony Megrant, chief architect for Google Quantum AI.

Previously, Google created its chips in a shared facility at the University of California, Santa Barbara, but has now established its own dedicated fabrication facility for the Willow chips. Megrant mentioned that this new facility would facilitate quicker production of future chips, which are tested in large refrigerators known as cryostats.

“If we have a good idea, we want someone on the team to be able to get that into the clean room and one of these cryostats as quickly as possible, so we can maximize our learning cycles,” Megrant explained.