‘We Could Cure Cancer’: New Google Chip Has Mind-blowing Power

Google has announced a new advancement in quantum computing with its microchip, Willow. In benchmark tests, Willow completed a standard computation in less than five minutes, a task that would take a leading supercomputer over 10^25 years. Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai wrote, “Introducing Willow, our new state-of-the-art quantum computing chip with a breakthrough that can reduce errors exponentially as we scale up using more qubits, cracking a 30-year challenge in the field.” Join us in this slideshow as we explore Google’s innovation.

Pichai added, “We see Willow as an important step in our journey to build a useful quantum computer with practical applications in areas like drug discovery, fusion energy, battery design + more.”

Willow features 105 qubits, the fundamental units of quantum computers. While qubits are powerful, they are also prone to errors from minor disturbances, like subatomic particles. As the number of qubits increases, so does the potential for errors.

Chief AI Strategist for AI Leaders Lisa Palmer said, “We could cure cancer with quantum computing combined with AI. There is a huge upside here … like upgrading from a bicycle to a high speed sports car.”

Quantum computing is expected to transform technology, relying on subatomic quantum mechanics to enhance artificial intelligence significantly. Experts have warned that this advancement could accelerate AI’s capabilities to unprecedented levels.

Palmer added, “One of the worst cases is that it can be detrimental to financial systems in the hands of bad actors. A data breach could happen for every bank account in their entire system.”

Experts have also predicted practical applications for quantum computing within three to five years, with breakthroughs anticipated in medicine and space exploration. Quantum technology will enhance AI’s creativity and efficiency, rendering current security measures like two-factor authentication obsolete.

Associate Dean in the Department of Computing and Information Sciences at Rochester Institute of Technology Pengcheng Shi stated, “Using quantum computing, we can simulate the physical world in a way that is much, much faster.”

AI expert and CUNY Queens College professor Jamie Cohen said, “The reason why Bing limited its AI, Sydney, to five prompts is because its answers are more degenerative each time — that could all change with quantum computing,” adding that “one day it might be able to train itself.”

Tesla CEO Elon Musk wrote, “Wow,” adding, “That will probably happen. Any self-respecting civilization should at least reach Kardashev Type II. In my opinion, we are currently only at <5% of Type I. To get to ~30%, we would need to place solar panels in all desert or highly arid regions."

The development of Willow places Google among major tech companies like Microsoft and IBM, which are also pursuing advancements in quantum computing. These efforts aim to achieve computing speeds that far surpass those of current systems.