X

Google reportedly attains 'quantum supremacy'

Its quantum computer can solve tasks that are otherwise unsolvable, a report says.

Corinne Reichert Senior Editor
Corinne Reichert (she/her) grew up in Sydney, Australia and moved to California in 2019. She holds degrees in law and communications, and currently writes news, analysis and features for CNET across the topics of electric vehicles, broadband networks, mobile devices, big tech, artificial intelligence, home technology and entertainment. In her spare time, she watches soccer games and F1 races, and goes to Disneyland as often as possible.
Expertise News, mobile, broadband, 5G, home tech, streaming services, entertainment, AI, policy, business, politics Credentials
  • I've been covering technology and mobile for 12 years, first as a telecommunications reporter and assistant editor at ZDNet in Australia, then as CNET's West Coast head of breaking news, and now in the Thought Leadership team.
Corinne Reichert
2 min read
Google's quantum computing platform

A new quantum computer from Google can reportedly do the impossible.

Eric Lukero/Google

Google has reportedly built a quantum computer more powerful than the world's top supercomputers. A Google research paper was temporarily posted online this week, the Financial Times reported Friday, and said the quantum computer's processor allowed a calculation to be performed in just over 3 minutes. That calculation would take 10,000 years on IBM's Summit, the world's most powerful commercial computer, Google reportedly said.

Google researchers are throwing around the term "quantum supremacy" as a result, the FT said, because their quantum computer can solve tasks that can't otherwise be solved. "To our knowledge, this experiment marks the first computation that can only be performed on a quantum processor," the research paper reportedly said.

Google declined to comment on the FT's report.

Watch this: Quantum computers will blow your mind

The tech giant unveiled its 72-qubit quantum computer chip Bristlecone in March 2018. 

"We are cautiously optimistic that quantum supremacy can be achieved with Bristlecone," said Julian Kelly, a research scientist at Google's Quantum AI Lab, said at the time. "We believe the experimental demonstration of a quantum processor outperforming a supercomputer would be a watershed moment for our field."

Quantum computing , which can simultaneously evaluate multiple possibilities, will likely be used for physics and chemistry simulations that aren't possible with classical computers, which can't simulate complex chemicals. They could also create new drugs and solar panels, help develop artificial intelligence and self-driving cars, and even manage investment portfolios.

Earlier this week, IBM unveiled its 14th quantum computer, which has 53 qubits. It'll be available for quantum computing customers in October.

AT&T also recently said it's working on quantum networking, or the technology to link quantum computers.

First published at 12:12 p.m. PT on Sept. 20.
Updated on Sept. 24 at 11:57 a.m.: Adds more info on Bristlecone.