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Google Unveils Willow, a Quantum Chip Redefining Computational Boundaries

The Willow chip achieves unprecedented error reduction and computational power, but practical applications remain years away.

Google unveils Willow, its latest, greatest quantum computing chip. Credit: Google
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Overview

  • Google's new Willow quantum chip can solve calculations in under five minutes that would take the fastest supercomputer ten septillion years to complete.
  • Willow features 105 qubits with vastly improved error correction, marking a major breakthrough in quantum computing reliability and scalability.
  • The chip reduces errors exponentially as it scales, addressing a decades-long challenge in quantum error correction.
  • While Willow represents a significant leap forward, experts caution that a fully functional quantum computer for real-world applications is still years away.
  • Google emphasizes that Willow is not capable of breaking modern encryption, with millions more qubits needed for such capabilities.