(Credit: Microsoft)
Microsoft announced a breakthrough new chip, the Majorana 1, which it says will make quantum computing a reality in "years, not decades."
The Majorana 1, pronounced "My-orana" and named after quantum particles called Majoranas, fits in the palm of your hand. Microsoft says it could power more than "all the world's current computers operating together. " It also happens to have a delightfully retro look, yet it claims it can eventually make science fiction a reality.
It's the culmination of the company's nearly 20-year quest to advance quantum computing. It provides a path to systems that can scale to one million qubits on a single chip—"a needed threshold for quantum computers to deliver transformative, real-world solutions," Microsoft says.
A qubit is a basic unit of quantum information and the building block for a quantum computer.
The magic of Majorana 1 lies in its material. Microsoft says its scientists developed a material that harnesses a "new state of matter–not a solid, liquid, or gas, but a topological state." With that, it created "topoconductors," or Topological Superconductors, that enable topological qubits that are smaller, faster, and more stable.
"This progress validates Microsoft’s choice years ago to pursue a topological qubit design–a high risk, high reward scientific and engineering challenge that is now paying off," Microsoft says.
Microsoft says its topoconductors are a breakthrough of a similar magnitude to semiconductors, which "made today's smartphones, computers, and electronics possible."
What would a world look like with quantum computing? The big goal for Majorana 1 is to open up new businesses and industries, not to exist as an isolated thought experiment. A few practical applications could include breaking down microplastics and inventing "self-healing' materials for construction, manufacturing, or healthcare, Microsoft says. It also expects agricultural breakthroughs through improved soil fertility.
Combining AI with quantum systems could speed up the trial and error of product development or eliminate it altogether by modeling the laws of nature. “Any company that makes anything could just design it perfectly the first time out. It would just give you the answer,” says Matthias Troyer, Microsoft technical fellow. “The quantum computer teaches the AI the language of nature so the AI can just tell you the recipe for what you want to make.”
But unleashing quantum computing systems could also open up a new world of cybersecurity risks and military theats. The US military is working with Microsoft to develop its topoconductor approach through a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) program. DARPA's mission is to lead "high-risk, high-reward R&D to seize the advantages of technological surprise for the US warfighter," according to its website.
Google revealed its quantum chip, Willow, in December. But Nvidia is less confident that quantum computing is right around the corner; its CEO estimates that it will take another 20 years before it's useful.