Google unveiled Willow, its latest quantum computing chip, marking a major milestone in the field of quantum mechanics.
In a blog post, Google says its new chip features 105 qubits and achieves exponential error correction, a challenge scientists have worked on for nearly three decades. Willow reduces error rates as more qubits are added, allowing for scalable quantum systems that outperform classical counterparts in specific tasks.
The breakthrough positions Willow as the first quantum system to achieve “below threshold” error rates, a critical step toward practical and large-scale quantum computing.
In a benchmark computation using random circuit sampling (RCS), Willow performed a calculation in less than five minutes that would take one of the fastest supercomputers, such as Frontier, an estimated 10 septillion years (10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 years). This performance, which vastly exceeds the age of the universe, highlights the growing gap between quantum and classical systems. Fabricated in a custom-built facility in Santa Barbara, Willow demonstrates advanced integration and design, significantly improving system-level metrics like qubit coherence times, now nearing 100 microseconds.
Willow is part of Google Quantum AI’s roadmap toward commercial applications of quantum computing. While current benchmarks like RCS lack real-world applications, the team is focused on leveraging Willow for tasks that combine computational complexity with practical utility. Google is inviting researchers to explore quantum programming with open-source tools and new educational resources to accelerate innovation.
• Willow features 105 qubits with advanced quantum error correction.
• Achieved “below threshold” status by reducing error rates exponentially as the number of qubits increased.
• Performed an RCS computation in under 5 minutes, equivalent to 10 septillion years on classical supercomputers.
• Fabricated at a dedicated quantum facility in Santa Barbara, California.
• Advances qubit coherence times to ~100 microseconds, a 5x improvement over previous chips.
“Willow is the most convincing prototype for a scalable logical qubit to date, demonstrating exponential error reduction that moves us closer to a truly useful quantum computer,” said Julian Kelly, Director of Quantum Hardware at Google.
