D-Wave, a quantum computing company, has announced a significant breakthrough in computing. On Wednesday, the company revealed that its quantum annealing computer has outperformed one of the world’s top classical supercomputers in solving a complex simulation problem related to magnetic materials.
“D-Wave’s quantum computer has solved an important, real-world problem remarkably better, faster, and with greater energy efficiency than possible with a classical computer. It’s the first demonstration of computational supremacy on a useful problem, specifically in the area of material simulation,” said Alan Baratz, the president and CEO of D-Wave.
The company detailed their findings in a paper published in the journal Science, titled “Beyond-classical computation in quantum simulation.” The paper explains how quantum annealers can tackle practical problems that are beyond the reach of classical computers.
According to D-Wave, their quantum computer performed the complex simulation in minutes with a level of accuracy that would take a classical supercomputer nearly one million years to achieve.
However, not everyone is convinced. Some research groups have challenged D-Wave’s claims, arguing that even an ordinary laptop can perform similar calculations. In response to the skepticism, Alan Baratz countered that the papers published by other physicists “do not come close to achieving what we accomplished on the D-Wave Advantage2 quantum computer, and their claims are confusing the public.”
This development marks a significant moment in the field of quantum computing, potentially opening doors to solving complex problems more efficiently than ever before.
