Google introduces Willow, its ‘state-of-the-art’ quantum chip: All you need to know about it

Google has unveiled its latest quantum chip, Willow, marking a significant breakthrough in quantum computing.

According to the tech giant, Willow’s extraordinary capabilities promise to tackle challenges that traditional computers could never solve, paving the way for future innovations in science, technology, and beyond.

What makes Willow special?

Willow’s two major achievements stand out:

1. Reduced errors while scaling: One of the biggest hurdles in quantum computing is dealing with errors as more qubits (the basic units of quantum computation) are added. Willow addresses this by reducing errors exponentially, a feat pursued by scientists for nearly three decades, as per a Google blog post.
2. Speed: The blog also claims that Willow completed a complex benchmark computation in under five minutes—something that would take the fastest classical supercomputer 10 septillion years to achieve. For context, that is longer than the age of the universe!

A new era for Quantum error correction

Errors have always been a challenge in quantum computing because qubits are highly sensitive and tend to lose information quickly. However, Google Quantum AI’s research, published in Nature, shows that Willow can reduce errors as it scales up.

As per Google, using a grid of qubits (starting from 3×3 and going up to 7×7), the team demonstrated exponential error reduction through advanced quantum error correction techniques. This means the error rate decreases significantly as the system scales, proving the chip is moving closer to practical applications.

To test Willow’s power, researchers used the Random Circuit Sampling (RCS) benchmark. RCS evaluates whether a quantum computer can outperform classical machines on specific tasks. Google suggests that Willow passed with flying colours, completing calculations that traditional supercomputers could never finish in any practical timeframe.

Built for the future

Willow was developed at Google’s specialized facility in Santa Barbara, California, designed exclusively for quantum chip fabrication. With 105 qubits, Willow is claimed to excel in both quality and quantity.

In addition to error correction, Willow has achieved impressive results in another critical area: how long a qubit can retain its quantum state. Known as T1 times, this metric has improved fivefold in Willow, reaching nearly 100 microseconds, according to the Google blog post.

The road ahead

The ultimate goal of quantum computing is to solve real-world problems that classical computers cannot handle. While Willow has proven its capabilities with benchmarks, Google Quantum AI is now focused on developing practical applications, from drug discovery to clean energy solutions.

Google is also inviting developers to participate in this quantum journey through open-source tools and educational resources, including a new Coursera course on quantum error correction.

Why it matters

Hartmut Neven, Founder and Lead of Google Quantum AI believes quantum computing will revolutionize fields like artificial intelligence, clean energy, and medicine. He sees Willow as a key step toward unlocking these possibilities.

“Quantum computing has scaling laws on its side,” said Neven. “This technology will help us tackle challenges that are beyond classical computers’ reach, from creating better batteries to solving climate change problems.”