Microsoft Unveils New Quantum Computing Chip Created with Artificial Intelligence
- tech360.tv
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
Microsoft unveiled a new quantum computing chip redesigned with the help of artificial intelligence.
The technology firm expects to have commercially useful quantum machines by 2029.
This target date matches the timeline of rival IBM, which plans to spend USD 10 billion on quantum machines and has spun out a firm to manufacture quantum chips.
Microsoft had not previously provided a target year for the new chip.
The company is racing against Google, Amazon, and Chinese efforts to develop quantum systems to solve complex problems in medicine, chemistry, and cybersecurity.
The new chip is called Majorana 2, which follows the first Majorana chip from last year.
Unlike competitors that use aluminium, the new hardware is made out of lead.
Artificial intelligence tools developed for materials science helped Microsoft achieve a 1,000-fold performance improvement in certain aspects of the chip.
Executive Vice President Jason Zander stated the firm figured out a specialised process to use water-soluble lead without it washing away during manufacturing.
The approach relies on quasiparticles known as Majoranas, which Microsoft claims to have observed.
Physicists have criticised the claims, stating that the company has not released enough public data for verification.
University of St. Andrews Lecturer Henry Legg stated that results must be reproducible.
Microsoft executives said trade secrets prevent the release of all data, but information has been shared with the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
Zander stated that the company has sufficient data and would not spend money on engineering if the physics were uncertain.
Microsoft expects to have commercially useful quantum machines by 2029.
The new Majorana 2 chip was redesigned using artificial intelligence tools.
The hardware utilizes lead instead of aluminium, resulting in a 1,000-fold performance improvement in some areas.
Source: REUTERS
