Chinese scientists claim to have developed a quantum computer that can conduct such computations almost 100 trillion times faster than the most advanced supercomputer globally, marking the first breakthrough in the technology development efforts of the region.
According to the state-run Xinhua news agency, the researchers developed a quantum computer prototype that can detect up to 76 photons by Gaussian boson sampling, a typical simulation algorithm, citing research published in Science magazine. That’s infinitely faster than the supercomputers available.
The innovation is a quantum mechanical gain, also referred to as quantum dominance. According to the analysis, no conventional machine can accomplish the same task in a reasonable period, and it is impossible to be reversed by algorithmic or hardware changes.
Quantum computing is seen as the key to dramatically expanding the computational speed and capacity of computers though still in its infancy, helping them replicate vast structures and accelerate advances in physics, chemistry, and other fields. Chinese researchers are vying for a technical advantage, from Alphabet Inc.’s Google to Amazon.com Inc. and Microsoft Corp., against big U.S. firms.
Google said it designed a device last year to execute a calculation in 200 seconds that would take around 10,000 years for the quickest supercomputers, gaining quantum supremacy. According to the Xinhua study, Chinese researchers say their latest prototype can process 10 billion times faster than Google’s prototype.
As part of a significant drive in the area, Xi Jinping’s government is constructing a $10 billion National Laboratory for Quantum Information Sciences. This year, the Trump administration offered $1 billion in grants for artificial intelligence and quantum information research and attempted to claim credit for Google’s 2019 breakthrough.
