The race to harness the power of quantum computing just got a major boost, thanks to a groundbreaking achievement by Chinese scientists.
China’s 105-qubit quantum computer, known as Zuchongzhi 3.0, has completed a complex computational task in just a few hundred seconds—a feat that would take the world’s fastest supercomputer, Frontier, an estimated 6 billion years to accomplish.
This astonishing leap not only surpasses Google’s 2019 milestone but also sets a new standard for what researchers are calling “quantum computational advantage.”
Quantum computers operate on qubits, which can represent both 0 and 1 simultaneously, unlike traditional bits. This allows them to process vast amounts of data at unprecedented speeds, potentially revolutionizing fields like cryptography, medicine, and artificial intelligence.
In 2019, Google announced it had achieved “quantum supremacy” by solving a complex problem in 200 seconds using a 53-qubit machine. However, in 2023, a Chinese team developed an algorithm that solved the same problem on a classical computer in just 17 seconds, sparking debates over the term “quantum supremacy.”
Recognizing the nuances of the field, scientists from the University of Science and Technology of China proposed the term “quantum computational advantage” in 2020. Zuchongzhi 3.0’s recent success embodies this concept, suggesting that quantum computers are edging closer to solving real-world problems more efficiently than classical computers.
With over 30 countries investing in quantum technology, the global race is intensifying. China’s latest achievement not only showcases its technological prowess but also accelerates the quest to unlock quantum computing’s full potential.
As quantum computing continues to evolve, breakthroughs like these bring us closer to a future where complex computations can be performed in seconds, reshaping industries and impacting everyday life in ways we can only begin to imagine.
Reference(s):
Quantum supremacy race heats up: China's new test blasts past Google
cgtn.com
