Quantum computing is a field of computing that utilizes the principles of quantum mechanics to perform certain types of calculations more efficiently than classical computers. Classical computers, which we use in our everyday lives, rely on bits to store and process information. Bits represent information as either a 0 or a 1. In contrast, quantum computers use quantum bits, or qubits, which can represent 0, 1, or a superposition of both simultaneously.
The unique property of qubits is that they can exist in multiple states at once due to a phenomenon called superposition. This allows quantum computers to perform parallel computations, potentially leading to exponential speedup in certain computational tasks compared to classical computers. Additionally, qubits can be entangled, which means the state of one qubit is intrinsically related to the state of another qubit, regardless of the physical distance between them. This entanglement property enables quantum computers to perform certain computations more efficiently by leveraging correlations between qubits.
The hype surrounding Google's quantum computing efforts primarily revolves around a milestone known as quantum supremacy. Quantum supremacy refers to the demonstration of a quantum computer solving a problem that is practically infeasible for classical computers to solve within a reasonable amount of time. In 2019, Google claimed to have achieved quantum supremacy by demonstrating a quantum computer called Sycamore, which utilized 53 qubits, solving a specific problem faster than any known classical computer could.
This achievement generated significant excitement because it marked a major milestone in the development of practical quantum computing. It showcased the potential of quantum computers to tackle complex computational problems more efficiently than classical computers. However, it's worth noting that the problem solved by Sycamore was specifically designed to demonstrate quantum supremacy and may not have immediate practical applications.
While Google's quantum computing breakthrough garnered attention, it's important to note that quantum computing is still in its early stages, and there are several challenges to overcome before it becomes widely applicable. Quantum systems are highly susceptible to noise and errors, which can disrupt the fragile quantum states. To build practical quantum computers, researchers are working on developing error-correcting codes and improving qubit stability.
In summary, quantum computing leverages the principles of quantum mechanics to perform computations more efficiently than classical computers. The hype around Google's quantum computing primarily stems from their claim of achieving quantum supremacy, which demonstrated the potential of quantum computers to solve certain problems exponentially faster than classical computers. However, the practical applications of quantum computing and the challenges associated with its development are still being explored by researchers worldwide.