Google is optimistic that it will release commercial quantum computing applications within five years, challenging predictions by Nvidia of a 20-year wait. According to Google’s head of quantum, Hartmut Neven, the company aims to create real-world applications for materials science, new energy, and potentially new drugs.
Quantum computing theoretically outperforms traditional computers, processing information thousands of times faster than classical machines. However, the field has faced uncertainty about when such a breakthrough will occur, with predictions ranging from several years to two decades.
Google’s quantum computing program has been working since 2012, and the company has designed and built several quantum chips. In December, Google announced that it had cracked a key challenge in the field with its new chips. The latest announcement comes after scientists published a paper in Nature, outlining a new approach to quantum simulation.
The breakthrough is seen as a step towards achieving Google’s objective of real-world applications within five years. This prediction puts pressure on Nvidia, which previously stated that practical uses for quantum computers are about 20 years away.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/technology/google-says-commercial-quantum-computing-applications-arriving-within-five-years-2025-02-05