Amazon executives are questioning the validity of Microsoft’s recent quantum computing breakthrough claims. The tech giant unveiled a new quantum processor called Majorana 1, which it said could store more data and perform complex calculations.
However, some experts believe that Microsoft’s achievement may be overstated. Simone Severini, Amazon’s head of quantum technologies, emailed CEO Andy Jassy casting doubt on Microsoft’s claims, stating that the company’s underlying scientific paper “doesn’t actually demonstrate” the breakthrough.
Other industry experts also expressed skepticism about Microsoft’s claims. Arka Majumdar, a computer engineering professor at the University of Washington, said the achievement was “insignificant” compared to what’s needed to create a useful quantum computer. Scott Aaronson, a renowned quantum computing researcher, noted that Microsoft’s claim to have created a topological qubit has not yet been accepted by peer review.
The differing views on the expected timeline for practical quantum usage also highlight the skepticism surrounding Microsoft’s claims. Amazon expects another couple of decades before mainstream adoption, while Microsoft believes utility-scale quantum computers are just years away.
Despite these doubts, some experts see the recent array of quantum news as a positive sign for the industry, which is still in its early days. The growing interest and investment in quantum computing could potentially lead to significant advancements in areas like drug discovery and chemical compound creation.
Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-exec-casts-doubt-microsoft-quantum-claims-2025-3