Moving closer to practical applications, quantum computing has achieved another major breakthrough. Today, Google CEO Sundar Pichai tweeted announcing the latest progress his team has made in implementing quantum algorithms on the Willow chip.
Google has reportedly implemented the first verifiable quantum advantage algorithm on its Willow chip, with the results published in the journal *Nature*. Data shows that the algorithm runs 13,000 times faster than the world's best supercomputer. Named "Quantum Echoes," the algorithm uses nuclear magnetic resonance to explain the interactions between atoms in molecules. Pichai explained that this could pave the way for potential future applications in drug development and materials science.
It's worth noting that Michel Devoret, the 2025 Nobel Prize laureate in Physics, appears among the authors of this published paper. As Google's chief scientist for quantum hardware, his fundamental work on macroscopic quantum effects, which previously won him the Nobel Prize, also plays a role in this research.
The more significant aspect of this research may lie in the fact that its algorithmic results can be replicated by other quantum computers or confirmed experimentally. Pichai stated, "This breakthrough is a crucial step towards the first practical application of quantum computing."
How far are we from practical applications of quantum computing? According to Google's strategic roadmap, it has already achieved two key milestones: "hyperclassical quantum computing" and "quantum error correction prototypes." The newly realized verifiable quantum advantage algorithm falls between the milestones of "quantum error correction prototypes" and "long-lived logic qubits," and is still a long way from launching a "large-scale error-correcting quantum computer," thus truly realizing the application of quantum computing .
Image source: Google
James Whitfield, a quantum physicist from Dartmouth College, was even more blunt: "This technological advancement is impressive, but it's a bit of a stretch to think it can suddenly solve some economically viable problems." According to a report by IBM and the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, quantum computing is currently in the early stages of technological development, and substantial progress is expected in the next 5 to 10 years.
From a domestic perspective, China currently possesses a first-mover advantage in both policy and technology aspects of quantum computing . (CITIC Securities) The research report points out that scientific research achievements, represented by "Zu Chongzhi No. 3," remain world-leading, while QuantumCTek... Companies are making key progress in industrial applications and core hardware. The global quantum race is accelerating, and policy support during the 15th Five-Year Plan period is expected to increase. We recommend paying attention to investment opportunities in the quantum information field.
Looking ahead, the aforementioned institutions stated that the race to commercialize quantum information will enter a new phase of acceleration. Overseas markets are showing divergence in technological approaches, with accelerated commercialization in quantum communication and measurement. (Cathay Haitong) Securities It is stated that the United States and China are in a leading position in the field of quantum computing, and major breakthroughs in quantum error correction in various technical routes will directly affect the progress of quantum computing.
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(Article source: CLS)
