In the foreseeable future, quantum computers are expected to replace classical computers and revolutionize various aspects of our lives. With the utilization of quantum physics, these computers have the potential to accelerate machine learning, address climate change, and facilitate the discovery of new drugs. Google has recently announced a significant achievement in the development of quantum computers, claiming to have achieved “quantum supremacy.” This means that their quantum computer can solve problems that cannot be solved by any classical machine.
According to Google, their latest version of the Sycamore quantum processor consists of 70 qubits, surpassing their previous version with 53 qubits. In comparison to the fastest existing computer, it would take 47 years for the computer to perform calculations that Google’s quantum computer can perform instantaneously. While Google made a similar claim in 2019, it was met with skepticism at the time. However, their latest achievement is believed to demonstrate true quantum supremacy.
The cost of developing this quantum computer remains unknown, but it is clear that the potential of quantum computers goes beyond classical computers. Google researchers state in their paper that quantum computers have the ability to execute tasks that are currently beyond the capabilities of classical computers. Quantum technology exploits the peculiar effects of quantum physics to immensely enhance information processing power, potentially leading to the most powerful computer on Earth. Even the fastest conventional computers, like the Frontier supercomputer in Tennessee, cannot compare to the potential of quantum computers.
Classical computers rely on binary code, which operates with only two states – zeroes or ones. Quantum mechanics, on the other hand, allows for qubits to exist simultaneously in a state of zero, one, or both. Google’s newest quantum processor with 70 qubits has the ability to store and process 70 units of quantum information, which is impossible for classical computers to achieve regardless of their speed.
Google’s achievement has been regarded as a major milestone by experts in the quantum field. However, some critics argue that Google has yet to demonstrate the solving of a useful problem with quantum computing. They emphasize the need to focus on utility quantum computing, where quantum computers with thousands of qubits can deliver societal value that classical computers cannot.
Nevertheless, Google’s breakthrough serves as evidence of the steady progress being made in quantum computing. The next crucial step will be to construct quantum computers capable of correcting inherent errors in their operation. The University of Sussex, along with tech giants like Google, IBM, and Microsoft, is at the forefront of the UK’s efforts to build a quantum computer. While a commercially available quantum computer is still a decade or two away, experimental models are being developed for research and development purposes.
In 2019, Google claimed to have achieved quantum supremacy with their 53-qubit quantum computer. However, IBM and other rivals in quantum technology research challenged this claim, stating that the specific task completed by Google’s computer could also be accomplished by classical computers, albeit with significantly more time. The concept of “quantum supremacy” refers to the point at which quantum computers can perform tasks that classical computers cannot. IBM argued that this threshold had not been met. Professor Hensinger of the Sussex Centre for Quantum Technologies described the problem chosen by Google as “completely utterly useless” and emphasized the need to solve useful problems in the future.
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