Google pushes boundaries, Willow quantum chip takes computing to another level!
Quantum computers have long been touted by the scientific community as a technology that could fundamentally change current computing. These computers, whose performance far exceeds the capabilities of today’s devices, have seen a breakthrough with Google’s new Willow quantum chip. In a test, this chip was able to solve an extremely complex calculation in five minutes, which would take the fastest supercomputers more time than the age of the universe.
According to Google, this chip is a major step towards working quantum computers that exploit the unique properties of subatomic particles. Unlike traditional computers, which process information through bits (ones and zeros), quantum computers operate with quantum bits, or qubits. These can be in several states at the same time, allowing huge amounts of data to be processed in parallel.
The technology is based on phenomena such as quantum entanglement, where particles are linked even over long distances, or superposition, which allows qubits to “be in several places at once”. These principles bring new possibilities for solving problems in medicine, climate science or artificial intelligence. They could also be applied in areas such as electric battery development, transport optimisation, finance or quantum chemistry.
However, one of the main problems of quantum computers is their error rate, which increases with the number of qubits on the chip. However, thanks to the specific interconnection of qubits in the Willow chip, Google has been able to correct errors in real time, bringing quantum computers significantly closer to practical use.
The performance of the Willow chip is truly astonishing – it can do a task that would take a conventional supercomputer about 10 quadrillion years to complete in minutes. This capability supports theories of parallel computing and the idea of a multiverse, as referenced by physicist David Deutsch, for example.
Despite this breakthrough, quantum computing is still in a nascent stage. However, Google believes that the technology, which is being developed in its laboratories in Santa Barbara, California, will revolutionise the near future. Quantum computing thus has the potential to fundamentally change not only the technology but also the world as we know it today.
Photo source: www.pexels.com
Author of this article
WAS THIS ARTICLE HELPFUL?
Support us to keep up the good work and to provide you even better content. Your donations will be used to help students get access to quality content for free and pay our contributors’ salaries, who work hard to create this website content! Thank you for all your support!
OR CONTINUE READING