Google Quantum Chip welcomed by Musk

Google Quantum Chip welcomed by Musk

On Monday there was an announcement from tech giant Google that resonated widely across the computing industry: a new cutting-edge quantum computing chip called Willow with unprecedented capabilities.

One of those congratulating the company on its breakthrough was Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who gushed with excitement on his social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

Harnessing the power of particle physics, Willow solved in less than five minutes a problem that would take the world’s fastest classical supercomputer an unimaginable 10 septillion years – that’s a 1 followed by 25 zeros.

This groundbreaking achievement, developed at Google’s Santa Barbara lab, signals a significant leap in the race for the future of computing.

Elon Musk and Sundar Pichai
Elon Musk (left) and Google CEO Sundar Pichai (right). After the announcement of Google’s new quantum computer chip, the two engaged in a technical back and forth on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter)….


Anna Moneymaker/Michael M. Santiago/Getty

Quantum computing is a revolutionary form of computing that uses the principles of quantum mechanics – the fundamental theory of physics that describes the behavior of particles at the atomic and subatomic levels.

Unlike classical computers, which use binary bits (0 and 1) as the smallest units of data, quantum computers use quantum bits, or qubits.

Willow, equipped with 105 qubits, represents a breakthrough in quantum computing by tackling one of its biggest challenges: error correction.

Traditionally, as the number of qubits increases, their sensitivity to tiny perturbations also increases, leading to errors.

However, Google claims to have reversed this trend. Using an innovative design that links qubits in new ways, Willow reduces error rates even as the number of qubits increases.

“Willow can reduce errors exponentially as we scale with more qubits,” Hartmut Neven, head of Google Quantum AI, said in a statement.

Google also claims that Willow can correct errors in real time – a crucial step in bringing quantum computing to real-world problems in medicine, artificial intelligence and energy optimization.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced Willow on X, calling it a “state-of-the-art quantum chip.” The milestone caught the attention of tech tycoon Elon Musk, who responded with a single word: “Wow.”

The exchange between Musk and Pichai quickly turned into a fascinating discussion about the future of quantum technology and humanity’s energy needs.

When Pichai suggested the possibility of using Musk’s spacecraft to create a “quantum cluster in space,” Musk replied, “That will probably happen.”

Musk then ventured into theories about advanced civilizations, advocating that humanity should achieve Kardashev Type II status – a measure of a civilization’s ability to harness the energy of its star.

He also suggested placing solar panels in arid regions to speed energy progress, a proposal Pichai supported.

The technical back and forth underscored the potential of quantum computing and the ambitious visions of technology leaders like Musk and Pichai.

“We have broken even,” Neven said in the announcement.

Willow’s debut falls in line with growing enthusiasm for the applications of quantum computing, from developing new medicines to tackling the planet’s climate challenges.

Google’s vision extends even beyond Earth’s boundaries and suggests a future in which quantum clusters in space could revolutionize computing.

Built at Google’s new manufacturing facility in California, Willow is the culmination of over a decade of work.

Parallel to the announcement, Google published its results in the journal Nature.

Reaction to Willow’s debut was overwhelmingly positive. Computer scientist and podcaster Lex Fridman summed up the sentiment in a post on X: “Amazing 🤯 Congratulations!”

Despite all the excitement, it could still be decades before full-fledged quantum computing is possible.

Do you have a tip for a science story? Newsweek should cover? Do you have a question about quantum computers? Let us know at [email protected].

reference

Acharya, R., Abanin, DA, Aghababaie-Beni, L., Aleiner, I., Andersen, TI, Ansmann, M., Arute, F., Arya, K., Asfaw, A., Astrakhantsev, N., Atalaya, J., Babbush, R., Bacon, D., Ballard, B., Bardin, JC, Bausch, J., Bengtsson, A., Bilmes, A., Blackwell, S., … Google Quantum AI and colleagues. (2024). Quantum error correction below the surface code threshold. Nature1-3. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-08449-y

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