A New Leader in Quantum Computing Emerges

Summary

(Citation: Article published in SPACE.COM referenced below)

Sharing a fascinating development in Quantum computing!

A new company, Quantinuum, has developed a quantum computer that significantly outperforms Google's previous benchmark in a key metric known as "quantum supremacy." Quantum Supremacy refers to the point where quantum computers outperform classical supercomputers. While Google's Sycamore registered an XEB score of 0.002, demonstrating it could complete a specific calculation in 200 seconds compared to 10,000 years for a classical supercomputer, Quantinuum's H2-1 has pushed this frontier further. This advancement holds promise for the future of quantum computing.

Metrics

Quantinuum's 56-qubit H2-1 computer has achieved a significant milestone in quantum computing, surpassing Google's Sycamore machine's 2019 benchmark by a factor of 100. The H2-1's performance, measured by the linear cross-entropy benchmark (XEB), attained a score of 0.35, indicating it produces accurate results 35% of the time. This achievement represents a remarkable advancement in error-free quantum computing.

Partner collaboration to make it happen

This development is bolstered by Quantinuum's collaboration with JPMorgan, Caltech, Argonne National Laboratory, and previous work with Microsoft. The focus on creating "logical qubits" with significantly lower error rates (1 in 100,000 compared to the typical 1 in 100) suggests that the practical applications of quantum computing may be realized sooner than anticipated.

What does it mean for you?

Quantinuum's breakthrough emphasizes the importance of improving qubit reliability over increasing quantity. Current quantum computers are inherently error-prone, necessitating millions of qubits to achieve practical quantum supremacy. Though modest in number, the H2-1's 56 qubits demonstrate enhanced fidelity and reduced error rates, marking progress toward universal fault-tolerant quantum computing.

• Quantinuum's H2-1 machine achieves an XEB score 100 times better than Google's Sycamore, demonstrating a substantial leap in performance.
• This signifies progress towards achieving "quantum supremacy," where quantum computers outperform classical computers for specific tasks.
• While practical applications remain elusive, the development represents a significant milestone in quantum computing research.

Important to note:

• Quantum computers are still in their early stages and require millions of qubits for practical use.
• Researchers are focusing on improving qubit reliability alongside increasing quantity.

This development signifies a potential acceleration in developing commercially viable quantum computers.

Citation

New quantum computer smashes 'quantum supremacy' record | Space