Google claims to perform a first-ever computational task on a quantum processor in spell bounded speed. Sycamore, a quantum processor manufactured by Google has able to perform the calculation in 200 seconds, which by the world’s fastest supercomputer, on the other hand, will take 10,000 years.
Google’s Team of AI experts led by John Martinis shared their findings in Nature, the world’s most recognized scientific journal.
It claims by using their 54-qubit processor, they proved the randomness of the number, produced by a random number generator algorithm in the time interval of 3 minutes 10 seconds which they verified by also using classical simulations.
In 2017, Google made claim to manufacture quantum processor but it was difficult to handle due to 72-qubit used in it. The quantum processors are very prone to heat and temperature, thus kept in low temperatures.
When Google’s engineers mentioned and compared their Sycamore with the world’s fastest supercomputer; it hereby intrigued IBM. IBM currently owned the most efficient supercomputer of this age, Summit. As reported by FinancialTimes, the IBM head of research did not gladly accept the claims of Google. In his response, Dario Gill said that,
“Google’s experiment is an excellent demonstration of the progress in superconducting-based quantum computing, but it should not be viewed as proof that quantum computers are ‘supreme’ over classical computers.”
Notwithstanding IBM’s attempts to minimize and downplay Google’s achievement, many in the research community greeted the news, with scientists quoted by The New York Times equating Google’s breakthrough to the Wright brothers’ first plane flight in the year of 1903.
We probably still be decades away from having quantum computers that are beneficial for practical tasks. However, still, Google’s findings have finally provided the base ground and proof that such quantum computing is not a myth anymore and can achievable in the future.
Featured image: HANNAH BENET/Google
