How world’s most powerful quantum chip outpaces fastest supercomputers

The article discusses the global race to develop utility-scale quantum computers, a technological frontier that promises to revolutionize computing by performing tasks in minutes that would take current supercomputers decades. Central to this advancement is the qubit, which, unlike classical binary bits, can represent multiple states simultaneously, exponentially increasing computational power. Google's Willow quantum chip, with 105 qubits, currently stands as the most powerful quantum computer, having completed the challenging random circuit sampling benchmark in five minutes—a task estimated to take the fastest supercomputer, the Frontier, 10 septillion years. Willow's superiority also stems from its advanced error correction capabilities, enabling repeated improvements and paving the way for larger, more powerful quantum machines within the next decade. Quantum computers are not intended for everyday use but for solving previously intractable problems in fields such as drug research, clean energy production, global hunger, and climate change. The race to develop these machines is also a geopolitical contest, with countries like the US and China heavily investing in