Google’s quantum computer is so fast it’s scary

By Sean Thiessen | Published 16 seconds ago

What’s faster than a supercomputer? A quantum computer from Google, that’s what. As reported by Science Alert, pioneering scientists in the strange world of quantum computing have just performed a test of numerical computation with the Sycamore quantum computer. It accomplished in seconds what the Frontier, the world’s most powerful supercomputer, would have taken 47 years to complete.

Google’s quantum computer is now the most powerful machine in existence, and it’s just getting started.

The test used circuit random sampling, a synthetic benchmark that measures how quickly the quantum computer can take readings from random quantum processes. The team estimated how quickly the world’s fastest supercomputer could do the same thing, and the difference was staggering.

If you’re reading this with a friend and you nod in agreement, pretending understanding, you’re not alone. Google’s quantum computer uses processes related to fields like matrix theory and quantum chaos not exactly light reading.

The first thing to know about quantum computers is that they have nothing to do with Ant-Man. Machines like Google’s quantum computer process information using processing that happens at the quantum level. They operate in the realm of probability in a totally different paradigm from traditional computers.

Instead of operating on a system of bits, quantum computers use qubits, which can represent a 1, a 0, or both at the same time. If this all sounds nitpicky, you’re right. Google’s quantum computer can only work under specific conditions and is prone to errors thanks to quantum noise.

However, this unavoidable fragility of the system is being exposed as testing continues.

While some argue that Google’s quantum computer circuit random sampling success isn’t a fair benchmark because it’s a totally impractical application, the folks behind the controls on the machine say the future is quantum.

The field is young and still a long way from where it needs to be, but researchers are calling the latest milestone in quantum computing the clear indicator that quantum supremacy is imminent, if not already here.

It’s not likely your laptop 10 years from now will be a quantum computer from Google, but the technology holds promise for large-scale applications, such as cybersecurity, energy storage, artificial intelligence, weather forecasting, and more.

Google’s quantum computers will eventually change everything, but there is still a long way to go.

The technology is nowhere near scalable, but the field is moving fast. A computer that does in seconds what another would take almost half a century to achieve is an astounding idea. It’s too abstract to truly grasp its gravity, but the comparison makes one thing clear: Google’s quantum computer will change the world.

How long before quantum computers become commonplace?

When that change will come is still a mystery. Scientists have been debating for years whether or not quantum computers could become a viable alternative to traditional computers. The field is fuzzy and difficult to understand, but continued experimentation is unraveling the mysteries of quantum mechanics.

It may not be an Ant-Man computer, but Google’s quantum computer could be the next step towards a more high-tech future. As quantum technology advances alongside artificial intelligence and alternative fuels, there’s no telling what the world will be like in a few decades.

If Google researchers have anything to say about it, the future will be quantum.