Working out of Santa Barbara, California, the Google quantum computing team changed the scientific world with their 2019 announcement that they had achieved “quantum supremacy”.
The researchers built a 53-qubit quantum processor named Sycamore, which solved a mathematical problem in 200 seconds, a task that would take the world’s fastest supercomputer thousands of years to complete.
The achievement did not mean that quantum computers were ready to replace classical ones, but it did prove that they could outperform them under certain conditions.
The motivation for building quantum machines lies in problems that are effectively unsolvable with today’s computers, from simulating molecular interactions for drug discovery to optimising global supply chains.
Sycamore’s demonstration was a proof of concept that such power is within reach. However, sceptics pointed out that the specific problem solved was carefully chosen and not of practical use.
However, the work showed that quantum mechanics could be harnessed in real computing hardware. Since then, institutions worldwide, from IBM to Chinese research labs, have raced to scale up the technology.
While commercial applications are still years away, the moment raised hopes as to what the future holds for humanity.
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