Google's Quantum Leap: Willow Chip Revolutionizes Quantum Computing

Google Quantum AI's New Willow Chip Can Do in Minutes That Supercomputers Would Take 10 Septillion Years - Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL)

Willow can reduce errors exponentially as the company scales up using more qubits On Monday, Alphabet Inc's GOOG GOOGL Google Quantum AI founder and head Hartmut Neven announced its latest quantum chip Willow. Willow can reduce errors exponentially as the company scales up using more qubits. Willow performed a standard benchmark computation in under five minutes, which would have taken one of the fastest supercomputers ten septillions or 1025 years to complete. Also Read: Quantum Computing Stocks Roundup: D-Wave, Rigetti, IonQ Lead the Charge With Explosive Growth The Willow chip marks a significant milestone in the journey that began over a decade ago. In 2012, when Neven founded Google Quantum AI, it aimed to create a large-scale quantum computer that could harness the principles of quantum mechanics for societal benefits -- advancing scientific discovery, developing practical applications, and addressing some of the toughest challenges. As part of Google Research, Neven's team has been following a long-term roadmap, and Willow brought it closer to achieving commercially relevant quantum applications. One of the significant challenges in quantum computing is dealing with errors in qubits, which tend to interact with their surroundings, making it hard to protect the data. Typically, increasing the number of qubits leads to more errors. However, Willow's latest results, published in Nature, demonstrate that Willow reduced errors exponentially as it scaled up the number of qubits. By using quantum error correction, it managed to halve the error rate with each increase in qubit arrays, helping it reach "below-threshold" error rates. Willow also achieved a breakthrough in real-time error correction on a superconducting quantum system, indicating that error correction significantly improves the system. Fabricated at Google's facility in Santa Barbara, Willow focuses on the quantity and quality of qubits, resulting in industry-leading performance in error correction and random circuit sampling. With 105 qubits, Willow has already outperformed prior quantum systems. In November, Nvidia Corp NVDA tapped Quantum AI to drive the development of next-generation quantum computing devices. The collaboration fosters faster quantum simulations, reducing week-long processes and advancing quantum hardware innovation. Wedbush's Dan Ives projected a Nasdaq rally backed by Nvidia's artificial intelligence semiconductor market dominance. The analyst flagged Nvidia's partnership with Google Quantum AI as one of the key catalysts for Nvidia's upside. Price Action: GOOGL stock is up 0.80% at $176.12 at last check Monday. Also Read: Jack Ma Makes Rare Appearance At Alibaba Fintech Event Stresses On AI Revolution Photo via Quantum Ai This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

Google shares rise on new quantum chip breakthrough By Investing.com

Shares of Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) saw a 4% increase in pre-open trading Tuesday, reflecting investor confidence following the company's unveiling of its new quantum computing chip, Willow. Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, introduced the chip on Monday, highlighting its ability to significantly reduce computational errors and its performance in benchmark tests. Pichai emphasized the chip's potential in practical applications, stating, "We see Willow as an important step in our journey to build a useful quantum computer with practical applications in areas like drug discovery, fusion energy, battery design + more." The new chip, according to Pichai, has achieved two major milestones. It can exponentially decrease errors with the addition of more qubits, addressing a quantum error correction challenge that has persisted for nearly three decades. In addition, Willow completed a standard benchmark computation in less than five minutes, a task that would take one of the fastest supercomputers today more than 10 septillion years. This development is part of Google's long-term commitment to quantum computing, a vision that began over a decade ago when Pichai founded Google Quantum (NASDAQ:QMCO) AI in 2012. The goal is to build a quantum computer that leverages quantum mechanics to advance scientific discovery and address societal challenges. The announcement drew a simple yet telling reaction from Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO Elon Musk, who expressed his astonishment with a single word, "wow," on social media platform X. The Willow chip represents a significant advancement for Google Quantum AI and positions the company closer to achieving commercially viable quantum computing applications.

Google's Willow Quantum Computing Chip Sparks Stellar Conversation Between Elon Musk And Sundar Pichai: 'Most Obvious Path Is Staring At Our Eyes' - Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG), Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL)

On Monday, following Alphabet Inc. GOOG GOOGL Google's unveiling of Willow, the company's latest quantum computing chip, CEO Sundar Pichai and Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk had an interesting conversation. What Happened: Taking to X, formerly Twitter, Pichai highlighted Willow's extraordinary capabilities, noting it solved a standard computation in under five minutes -- a task that would take a leading supercomputer over 10^25 years. The announcement sparked an intriguing dialogue with Musk, who responded with enthusiasm. Pichai suggested they "should do a quantum cluster in space with Starship one day," to which Musk replied, "That will probably happen." See Also: TikTok-Parent ByteDance, Now Nvidia's Largest Asian Chip Customer, Races Ahead Of Alibaba And Baidu To Dominate China's Generative AI Market: Report Their exchange quickly escalated from quantum computing to broader technological ambitions, with Musk referencing the Kardashev scale and suggesting humanity is currently at less than 5% of a Type I civilization. Pichai and Musk converged on a shared vision of solar energy's potential, with the Alphabet CEO pointing out that "the most obvious path is staring at our eyes, literally!" Subscribe to the Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox. Why It Matters: The Willow chip represents a significant milestone in quantum computing. Developed by Google Quantum AI, it demonstrates exponential error reduction as qubit numbers increase -- a 30-year challenge in the field. With 105 qubits, Willow has already outperformed prior quantum systems, achieving breakthrough real-time error correction. Last month, Nvidia Corporation NVDA partnered with Quantum AI to accelerate the development of cutting-edge quantum computing devices. The collaboration was aimed at speeding up quantum simulations, shortening processes that previously took weeks, while also driving advancements in quantum hardware technology. Price Action: At the time of writing, Alphabet's Class A stock rose by 0.93% in after-hours trading, reaching $177, while Class C stock climbed 0.88% to $178.65. In Monday's regular trading session, Class A shares gained 0.49%, closing at $175.37, and Class C shares increased by 0.46%, finishing at $177.10, according to Benzinga Pro data. Photo via Shutterstock Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by following this link. Read Next: Google CEO Sundar Pichai Fires Back At Microsoft Over AI, Dismisses Satya Nadella's Criticism: 'I Would Love To Do A Side-By-Side Comparison...Any Day, Any Time' Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

Alphabet Shares Are Rising Today: What's Going On? - Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG), Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL)

Google says Willow can reduce errors exponentially as the company scales up using more qubits. Alphabet Inc. GOOG shares are trading higher Tuesday following Google's unveiling of a new quantum computing chip with breakthrough capabilities. Here's what you need to know. What To Know: Google unveiled its new quantum chip "Willow" this week. Willow is part of Google's Quantum AI initiative and reportedly addresses a key challenge in quantum computing: error correction. In a blog post on Monday, Google announced that Willow achieved an exponential reduction in error rates as the number of qubits increased, marking a major milestone in the development of reliable quantum systems. The company also said the chip completed a standard benchmark computation in under five minutes, a process that it says would take the world's fastest supercomputers approximately 10 septillion years to complete. "This mind-boggling number exceeds known timescales in physics and vastly exceeds the age of the universe," the company said in the post. See Also: Google-Meta Under Fire: EU Watchdog Reportedly Probes Alleged Secret Ad Deal Targeting Teen Users Willow features 105 qubits and was built using advanced fabrication methods. Willow's capabilities were validated through tests which suggest Willow is a "strong" prototype for scalable quantum systems and could lead to practical applications beyond what is possible with classical computing, the company said. Investors appear to be responding favorably to the announcement given the long-term potential of quantum computing. A quantum system is thought to have the potential to dramatically impact areas like artificial intelligence, medicine, science and energy. "The next challenge for the field is to demonstrate a first 'useful, beyond-classical' computation on today's quantum chips that is relevant to a real-world application. We're optimistic that the Willow generation of chips can help us achieve this goal," the company said. GOOG Price Action: Alphabet shares were up 4.31% at $184.76 at the time of publication, according to Benzinga Pro. Read Next: Copa América, Summer Olympics, Donald Trump, Presidential Election, Hurricanes And More Top 10 Google Searches In 2024 Image Via Shutterstock. Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

Google stock skyrockets with Willow launch; if you are an investor, here's what you should know

As investor confidence grows and stock prices rise, all eyes will be on how Google continues to develop this technology and its potential impact on various fields in the coming years.Google's stock has experienced a significant surge following the launch of its groundbreaking quantum chip, Willow, which has been hailed as a major advancement in quantum computing. Here's what you need to know about this development and its implications for Google and the tech industry. Following the announcement of Willow, Alphabet Inc.'s stock saw a notable increase, reflecting investor optimism about the company's future prospects in quantum computing and artificial intelligence (AI). As of Tuesday, Google stock was trading around $182.64, up approximately 7.27% from previous levels. The launch of Willow has sparked excitement among investors, as advancements in quantum computing are expected to drive growth across multiple tech sectors. Analysts believe that if Google can successfully leverage this technology, it could lead to substantial financial returns and market leadership in AI and computing technologies. Breakthrough Technology: The Willow chip is designed to perform complex computations at unprecedented speeds. Google claims it can solve a standard benchmark problem in just five minutes, a task that would take the fastest supercomputers an astonishing 10 septillion years to complete. This leap forward is attributed to advancements in quantum error correction, which have historically posed challenges in the field. Error Correction Achievements: Willow is notable for achieving "below-threshold" error rates, meaning it reduces errors as the number of qubits increases. This breakthrough allows for more reliable quantum computations, which is crucial for scaling up quantum systems. Potential Applications: The implications of Willow extend beyond theoretical computing. Potential applications include drug discovery, optimization of nuclear fusion reactors, and enhanced energy storage solutions. This positions Google as a frontrunner in the race towards practical quantum computing applications. Google's advancements with Willow position it competitively against other tech giants investing in quantum technology, such as IBM and Microsoft. The ability to reduce computation times dramatically could redefine industries reliant on complex calculations. Hartmut Neven, head of Google Quantum AI, emphasized that while Willow represents a significant milestone, practical commercial applications may still be years away. However, the progress made with this chip could pave the way for future innovations in quantum computing.