University of Kwazulu-Natal

Ibm Google Claim Breakthroughs In Push For Quantum Computer Systems

Bonisiwe Shabane
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ibm google claim breakthroughs in push for quantum computer systems

The decades-long quest to create a practical quantum computer is accelerating as major tech companies say they are closing in on designs that could scale from small lab experiments to full working systems within... IBM laid out a detailed plan for a large-scale machine in June, filling in gaps from earlier concepts and declaring it was on track to build one by the end of the decade. “It doesn’t feel like a dream anymore,” Jay Gambetta, head of IBM’s quantum initiative, told Financial Times. “I really do feel like we’ve cracked the code and we’ll be able to build this machine by the end of the decade.” Google, which cleared one of the toughest technical obstacles late last year, says it is also confident it can produce an industrial-scale system within that time frame, while Amazon Web Services cautions that it... The decades-long quest to create a practical quantum computer is accelerating as major tech companies say they are closing in on designs that could scale from small lab experiments to full working systems within...

IBM laid out a detailed plan for a large-scale machine in June, filling in gaps from earlier concepts and declaring it was on track to build one by the end of the decade. “It doesn’t feel like a dream anymore,” Jay Gambetta, head of IBM’s quantum initiative, told Financial Times. “I really do feel like we’ve cracked the code and we’ll be able to build this machine by the end of the decade.” Google, which cleared one of the toughest technical obstacles late last year, says it is also confident it can produce an industrial-scale system within that time frame, while Amazon Web Services cautions that it... The race to build the first workable quantum computer has come alive, with industry leaders Google and IBM both claiming that they can produce full-scale systems within five years. Recent technical breakthroughs have revived confidence in what was once considered little more than fantasy.

"It doesn't feel like a dream anymore," says Jay Gambetta, who is heading up IBM's VP of Quantum. "I really do feel like we've cracked the code and we'll be able to build this machine by the end of the decade." This renewed optimism amongst Big Tech's quantum computing teams comes in spite of the formidable challenges that lay ahead of them. The quest to build a practical quantum computer, a challenge that has tantalized physicists and computer scientists since the 1980s, is gaining unprecedented momentum. Recent breakthroughs have prompted technology firms to unveil blueprints that could see quantum machines grow from experimental constructs into viable, large-scale systems capable of solving problems beyond the reach of today's supercomputers. Quantum computing, long seen as a distant goal, is moving closer to reality as leading tech firms outline fresh plans for building scalable machines.

In June, IBM released an updated roadmap that it says resolves several of the field's most challenging technical obstacles, setting the stage for what could be the industry's most decisive period. "It doesn't feel like a dream anymore. I really do feel like we've cracked the code and we'll be able to build this machine by the end of the decade," Jay Gambetta, IBM's leader for quantum initiatives, told the Financial Times. Despite recent progress, the road ahead remains lined with formidable hurdles. Even after researchers solved the fundamental physics problems, manufacturers still face daunting engineering challenges. Oskar Painter, who leads quantum hardware development at Amazon Web Services, cautioned that building a practical quantum computer will require a massive engineering effort and could take another 15 to 30 years.

Current quantum prototypes typically use fewer than 200 qubits – the quantum equivalent of bits in conventional computers – but achieving machines with real industrial utility will require systems with a million or more. The challenge is immense, largely because qubits remain in their quantum states for only fractions of a second. As engineers pack in more qubits, interference, or "noise," multiplies, making reliable computation exponentially harder. Major tech firms race to build full-scale quantum computers by 2030. Scaling qubits faces key challenges like interference and error correction. Different approaches vie for practicality amid tough engineering hurdles.

Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here. Support South Africa’s bastion of independent journalism, offering balanced insights on investments, business, and the political economy, by joining BizNews Premium. Register here. The race toward scalable quantum computing has reached a pivotal moment, with major players like Microsoft, Google, and IBM pushing forward with breakthroughs.

Microsoft's recent announcement of its Majorana 1 chip marks a significant milestone, while Google’s Willow chip and IBM’s long-term quantum roadmap illustrate the industry’s diverse approaches to achieving fault-tolerant quantum systems. As the quantum computing industry debates the timeline for practical implementation, breakthroughs like Majorana 1 and Willow suggest that major advancements may be closer than previously thought. At the same time, skepticism remains, with industry leaders such as Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang cautioning that meaningful commercial quantum applications could still be decades away. Microsoft is redefining quantum computing with its new Majorana 1 chip, a significant breakthrough in the pursuit of scalable and fault-tolerant quantum systems. This quantum processor is built on a novel topological architecture that integrates Majorana particles, exotic quantum states that enhance qubit stability and reduce errors. Unlike conventional qubit technologies, which require extensive error correction, Microsoft’s approach aims to build fault tolerance directly into the hardware, significantly improving the feasibility of large-scale quantum computing.

Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s CEO, highlighted the significance of this milestone in his LinkedIn post, "We’ve created an entirely new state of matter, powered by a new class of materials, topoconductors. This fundamental leap in computing enables the first quantum processing unit built on a topological core. The path to a million-qubit processor is now within reach—bringing us closer to solving problems beyond the capabilities of classical computing." Despite Microsoft’s claims, there have been questions on the validity of its breakthrough. According to Chetan Nayak, Microsoft Technical Fellow, "We needed to rethink the quantum transistor to ensure stability at scale—this approach provides a clear roadmap for reaching a commercially viable quantum system." Google has been also making strides in the quantum computing landscape. Google recently introduced its Willow chip, designed to exponentially reduce errors as more qubits are added.

The company claims that Willow has achieved two major breakthroughs. First, by leveraging advanced error correction, Willow can significantly lower error rates as the system scales, addressing a challenge the field has pursued for nearly 30 years. Second, in benchmarking tests, Willow performed a computation in under five minutes that would take one of today’s fastest supercomputers an estimated 10 septillion years. Both Microsoft and Google’s recent advancements illustrate the industry’s drive toward scalable quantum architectures. However, they are not the only big technology companies pioneering this field. IBM has maintained its leadership in quantum computing through superconducting transmon qubits and strategic advancements in error correction.

In a recent interview with TIME, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna underscored his long-term commitment to quantum computing, stating, "We picked quantum as an area for investment more than 10 years ago. We came to the conclusion that it's an engineering problem more than it's a science problem.” Updated on: July 28, 2024 / 7:00 PM EDT / CBS News This is an updated version of a story first published on Dec. 3, 2023. The original video can be viewed here.

Artificial intelligence is the magic of the moment but this is a story about what's next, something incomprehensible. This past December, IBM announced an advance in an entirely new kind of computing - one that may solve problems in minutes that would take today's supercomputers millions of years. That's the difference in quantum computing, a technology being developed at IBM, Google and others. It's named for quantum physics, which describes the forces of the subatomic realm. And as we told you last winter, the science is deep and we can't scratch the surface, but we hope to explain just enough so that you won't be blindsided by a breakthrough that... The quantum computer pushes the limits of knowledge--new science, new engineering-- all leading to this processor that computes with the atomic forces that created the universe.

Dario Gil: I think this moment, it feels to us like the pioneers of the 1940s and 50s that were building the first digital computers. Tech giants claims that the decades-long race to build a workable quantum computer may finally be entering its home stretch. A series of recent breakthroughs has convinced industry leaders Google and IBM that full-scale, industrial-grade quantum machines could be within reach before 2030. In June, IBM became the latest to claim a clear path to the prize, unveiling a new blueprint that it says fills in critical gaps left in earlier designs. The company believes its quantum computers could solve problems far beyond the reach of today's classical machines, with potential applications in fields such as AI and materials science. "It doesn't feel like a dream anymore," Jay Gambetta, head of IBM's quantum initiative, told the FT.

"I really do feel like we've cracked the code and we'll be able to build this machine by the end of the decade."

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