Quantum Echoes key step toward real-world quantum computing: Google

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In a major leap in quantum computing, Google announced that its new Quantum Echoes algorithm has outperformed even the world’s fastest supercomputers, running 13,000 times faster on its Willow quantum chip.

 

In a blog post on Wednesday, the company said the discovery marks the first-ever verifiable quantum advantage, meaning the results can be independently repeated and confirmed by other quantum systems.

 

“This is the first time a quantum computer has successfully run a verifiable algorithm that surpasses classical supercomputers,” Google said, adding that the achievement brings the technology closer to real-world applications in fields such as medicine, materials science, and energy.

Quantum Echoes algorithm

The new algorithm, called Quantum Echoes, uses a method that acts like an ultra-precise quantum 'echo'. Google explained that scientists send a controlled signal into the quantum system, slightly disturb it, and then reverse the process to detect the 'echo' that bounces back. This allows them to measure minute quantum effects that are impossible to capture using traditional computers. 

 

The company said that the Quantum Echoes algorithm worked because of the advanced Willow quantum chip. "Last year, Willow showed its power with a test called Random Circuit Sampling, which measures how complex a quantum system can be. Quantum Echoes is different because it models a real physical experiment, testing both complexity and precision. That’s why it’s called 'quantum verifiable', where another similar quantum computer can check and confirm the results," Google said.

Real-world applications

Google Quantum AI's Founder and Lead Hartmut Neven, and the company's Director of Quantum Pathfinding Vadim Smelyanskiy, said that quantum computers can help scientists study how atoms and particles interact and understand the shapes of molecules.

 

The company said this achievement could revolutionise how researchers design new drugs, build better batteries, and study materials for cleaner energy and quantum technologies.

 

"Just like the telescope and microscope opened up new worlds, this experiment is a step toward a 'quantum-scope' — a tool that could measure natural phenomena previously impossible to see. This could help in drug discovery, materials science, and even in designing better components for quantum computers themselves," they said.