In December 2020, Chinese scientists claimed a groundbreaking advancement in quantum computing. They announced the creation of a quantum computer capable of performing calculations 100 trillion times faster than the world’s most advanced supercomputers. This leap in technology has placed China at the forefront of the global race to dominate quantum computing, challenging major U.S. tech giants like Google, Microsoft, and IBM.
China’s Quantum Computing Milestone
The claim, reported by researchers from the University of Science and Technology of China, centers around their quantum computer prototype, which can detect up to 76 photons through a process called Gaussian boson sampling—a specialized algorithm used to solve specific types of complex problems. This makes their quantum computer exponentially faster than conventional supercomputers, at least in certain computations.
Moreover, China asserts that their quantum machine is 10 billion times faster than Google’s Sycamore, a quantum computer unveiled in 2019 with 54 qubits of computational power. Sycamore famously completed a calculation in 200 seconds that would have taken traditional supercomputers around 10,000 years to finish, marking a milestone Google termed “Quantum Supremacy.”
Key Differences in Quantum Approaches
Despite China’s impressive breakthrough, comparing their machine directly to Google’s Sycamore is complicated. The two systems didn’t run the same calculations, and their technologies are fundamentally different.
Google’s Sycamore operates using supercooled superconductive material, while China’s quantum computer relies on photons as its medium. The advantage of using photons lies in their ability to potentially process information faster, but this also presents challenges. According to Christian Weedbrook, CEO of quantum computing startup Xanadu, China’s photonic circuit lacks programmability, making it less practical for solving real-world problems at this stage, whereas Sycamore is programmable.
The Global Quantum Race
The race for quantum supremacy is heating up as quantum computing is seen as the key to unlocking faster processing speeds and exponential computational power. Countries like China and tech companies such as Google, IBM, and Microsoft are competing for dominance in this emerging field. Each is striving to develop quantum computers capable of solving complex problems that traditional machines cannot handle, with huge implications for industries like cryptography, medicine, and artificial intelligence.
In 2019, Google’s Sycamore took the spotlight by achieving Quantum Supremacy. Meanwhile, IBM is pursuing its own quantum ambitions with plans to develop a 1,121-qubit device called IBM Quantum Condor by the end of 2023. IBM contends that current supercomputers could, in principle, run the same algorithms Sycamore used, but over a longer period—about 2.5 days instead of 200 seconds.
As quantum computing continues to evolve, more companies are preparing to leverage this technology. Japan’s Toshiba, for example, has announced plans to launch quantum computing cryptographic services by 2025, foreseeing a massive market for quantum encryption by 2035.
The Future of Quantum Computing
Though quantum computing is still in its infancy, its potential to revolutionize the tech landscape is undeniable. For now, China’s photonic-based quantum computer is a remarkable scientific achievement but not yet ready for solving practical, real-world problems. Nevertheless, the rapid progress in this field signals that we are on the cusp of a new era in computing, one where quantum machines may soon outclass today’s most powerful supercomputers.
As more countries and companies continue to make breakthroughs, it will be fascinating to watch who ultimately emerges as the leader in quantum technology.