Google’s Willow Chip: Quantum Computing Breakthrough Redefines Limits

News 11 Dec 2024

Google unveiled Willow, its newest quantum computing chip, designed to solve problems in under five minutes, which would take the world’s most advanced supercomputers an estimated 10 septillion years. That is, according to Hartmut Neven, Google’s Quantum AI lead, a meaningful move in quantum computing.

This exceptional achievement goes beyond the known timescales of physics and supports the multiverse theory proposed by David Deutsch, Neven wrote on his Dec 9 blog.

The new quantum computer also tackles one of the biggest challenges in the field: error correction. By scaling up its 105 qubits, Google has exponentially reduced error rates- a breakthrough nearly 30 years in the making. Dubbed “below the threshold,” this advancement allows for reliable computations even as qubits increase, an essential step toward practical quantum applications.

However, all that advancement does not make Willow a threat that can now break crypto encryption. According to tech expert Kevin Rose, it would take a quantum computer containing 13 million qubits to break Bitcoin’s encryption–far beyond Willow’s current capabilities.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai described Willow as a significant step toward building quantum computers with practical applications, such as drug discovery, clean energy solutions, and advanced materials. However, Google’s roadmap reveals it has only reached the second of six milestones toward that goal.

While crypto encryption remains safe, the quantum leap underscores the urgency for post-quantum cryptography. Lightspark CEO David Marcus urged stakeholders to accelerate their efforts, while Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin proposed a blockchain hard fork to safeguard against future threats.

Google’s Willow chip is a remarkable leap forward; however, the journey to large-scale, error-free quantum computing continues.

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