The race for quantum supremacy is not a short-distance race; it’s a marathon, and in any marathon, there are lots of twists and turns. Now, we get to witness another twist: China is making a massive leap in the quantum world. Its top scientists have built a new quantum chip called Zuchongzhi-3. This chip has 105 qubits and runs at speeds far beyond any known supercomputer. It works one quadrillion times faster than the best classic chip in the world. The University of Science and Tech of China (USTC) team says it is the best in its class.
How does it compare to Google’s Willow chip?
The immediate comparisons are between Zuchongzhi-3 and Google’s ($GOOGL) Willow. Both chips have 105 qubits and use a two-way grid to boost speed, but they are not the same at key points. Willow has a higher gate fidelity, meaning it makes fewer task errors. But Zuchongzhi-3 took on a bigger test, using 83 qubits at 32 layers, while Google’s team used 67 qubits at 32.
Should the U.S. Be Worried?
The U.S. and China are in a race for quantum supremacy. The winner could rule tech, code, and data in the future. Right now, China seems to be ahead. But there is a catch: speed alone is not enough. Firms need to fix errors and keep data safe to use quantum power in the real world. Indeed, U.S. tech companies and academic institutes are working hard on this problem. Google and Microsoft ($MSFT) have their own plans to stabilize qubits and scale up to more error-free chips; d-wave ($QBTS) and IonQ ($IONQ) also focused on creating a scalable error-free quantum system and are making considerable advancements. So, while China has a strong lead, it does not mean the U.S. has lost. One thing is clear: It’s a marathon, and there are plenty of milestones to achieve before the finish line.
Tipranks’ Comparison Tool
Using Tipranks’ Comparison Tool, we’ve collected the most notable quantum computing companies traded on Wall Street. This way, you can explore in-depth how these companies stack against each other from a broader perspective.
