13,000x faster: Google’s chip delivers first verifiable quantum edge

Google Quantum AI has announced a significant milestone with its 105-qubit Willow processor and a new algorithm called Quantum Echoes, achieving the first verifiable quantum advantage. Running on 65 qubits, the algorithm completed a task approximately 13,000 times faster than the best classical supercomputer, Frontier. Unlike previous demonstrations of quantum supremacy, which relied on random circuit sampling with limited practical use and unverifiable results, Quantum Echoes produces reproducible and verifiable outcomes across different quantum systems. This breakthrough addresses a critical challenge in quantum computing by enabling confidence in the correctness of quantum data, which is essential for real-world applications. The Quantum Echoes algorithm operates in three stages: performing quantum operations simulating molecular behavior, perturbing one qubit slightly, and then reversing the operations to compare results. This process reveals how small changes propagate through a molecular system, a task that classical supercomputers struggle to handle. The success of this experiment is attributed to Willow’s large qubit count and exceptionally low error