China introduces processor declared 'a million times faster' than US counterpart, say developers
According to its developers, a novel Chinese quantum processor significantly surpasses Google's Sycamore chip. Read the full article at RTN.com.
TroibNews 
Chinese scientists have introduced a new superconducting quantum computing prototype, claiming it operates a million times faster than Google's leading quantum processors. They assert that this new chip is also quadrillion times more efficient than any traditional supercomputer, as stated by its developers.
Named Zuchongzhi-3, the chip was created by the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in collaboration with several scientific institutions across the country. The USTC published an analysis of the chip's performance and research findings in an article for the Physical Review Letters earlier this month.
The university noted that testing revealed the Chinese processor is a million times faster than Google's Sycamore processor, which was introduced in October 2024. Google had touted its quantum computer as capable of surpassing the fastest traditional supercomputers in handling complex computations.
“We are focused on developing practical applications for quantum computers that cannot be done on a classical computer,” representatives from Google Quantum AI remarked at that time. The USTC emphasized that Zuchongzhi-3's computational speed exceeded that of the world's most powerful supercomputer by 15 orders of magnitude.
It remains unclear how the new chip stacks up against another Google product—the Willow quantum processor, which was released in December. The two processors are reported to have similar processing capabilities, though Willow is allegedly slightly superior in terms of coherence time, an important factor for executing more intricate computations, according to Live Science. Google has yet to respond to USTC's statements.
Chinese companies have increased their investments in AI and quantum computing significantly after President Xi Jinping encouraged the nation to expedite fundamental scientific research. Beijing aims to enhance self-reliance in critical areas such as chip manufacturing, space exploration, and military science.
Bloomberg reported in October 2023 that Chinese firms and institutions applied for 29,853 AI-related patents in 2022, surpassing the previous year's total of 29,000. This figure represents nearly 80% more than the patent filings in the United States.
Olivia Brown for TROIB News
Named Zuchongzhi-3, the chip was created by the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in collaboration with several scientific institutions across the country. The USTC published an analysis of the chip's performance and research findings in an article for the Physical Review Letters earlier this month.
The university noted that testing revealed the Chinese processor is a million times faster than Google's Sycamore processor, which was introduced in October 2024. Google had touted its quantum computer as capable of surpassing the fastest traditional supercomputers in handling complex computations.
“We are focused on developing practical applications for quantum computers that cannot be done on a classical computer,” representatives from Google Quantum AI remarked at that time. The USTC emphasized that Zuchongzhi-3's computational speed exceeded that of the world's most powerful supercomputer by 15 orders of magnitude.
It remains unclear how the new chip stacks up against another Google product—the Willow quantum processor, which was released in December. The two processors are reported to have similar processing capabilities, though Willow is allegedly slightly superior in terms of coherence time, an important factor for executing more intricate computations, according to Live Science. Google has yet to respond to USTC's statements.
Chinese companies have increased their investments in AI and quantum computing significantly after President Xi Jinping encouraged the nation to expedite fundamental scientific research. Beijing aims to enhance self-reliance in critical areas such as chip manufacturing, space exploration, and military science.
Bloomberg reported in October 2023 that Chinese firms and institutions applied for 29,853 AI-related patents in 2022, surpassing the previous year's total of 29,000. This figure represents nearly 80% more than the patent filings in the United States.
Olivia Brown for TROIB News
