Google’s quantum algorithm runs 13,000x faster than supercomputers

Google has developed a quantum computing algorithm called Quantum Echoes that runs 13,000 times faster than the most sophisticated classical computing algorithms on supercomputers. The breakthrough represents a significant step toward practical quantum computing applications and could generate unique datasets for artificial intelligence training, particularly in areas like drug discovery and materials science where quality training data is scarce.

What you should know: Quantum Echoes marks a major milestone in making quantum computing practically useful rather than just theoretically impressive.

• The algorithm runs on Google’s Willow quantum chip and is described by company executives as roughly equivalent in significance to the chip development itself.
• Unlike previous quantum computing achievements, this algorithm is verifiable with other quantum computers or through experiments, meaning its results can be trusted for real-world applications.
• Google published details about the algorithm in the scientific journal Nature on Wednesday.

Why this matters: The algorithm addresses a fundamental challenge that has limited quantum computing’s practical impact—the ability to verify that quantum-generated data is actually correct.

• “If I can’t tell you the data is correct, if I can’t prove to you the data is correct, how can I do anything with it?” Google staff research scientist Tom O’Brien said.
• Verifiable quantum data opens the door to practical applications in drug discovery by helping measure molecular structures and in materials science through identifying new types of materials.

The AI connection: Google’s engineers plan to leverage Quantum Echoes to create new datasets for training AI models in specialized fields.

• The algorithm could be particularly valuable in life sciences, where high-quality datasets for AI training are often unavailable or insufficient.
• This represents a convergence of two cutting-edge technologies, with quantum computing potentially solving AI’s data quality challenges in specialized domains.

Competitive landscape: Google joins other major tech companies investing heavily in quantum computing’s commercial potential.

• Amazon and Microsoft are also pursuing quantum computing applications, recognizing the technology’s promise to solve problems beyond the reach of today’s classical computers.
• Last year, Google unveiled its Willow quantum chip, which the company said overcame crucial problems with “qubits”—the fundamental building blocks of quantum computing that store and process information in quantum systems.