IBM quantum computer solves classically intractable problem in 15 minutes
IBM and University of Chicago researchers have completed a quantum computation that leading classical methods could not practically reproduce. The system used 70 error-corrected logical qubits and finished the task in roughly 15 minutes while also providing statistical evidence that the result was reliable.
Scientists at IBM and the University of Chicago successfully completed a complex quantum computation on their quantum computer in just 15 minutes. This accomplishment represents a significant milestone in quantum computing, as it demonstrates the machine's capability to solve problems that are practically impossible for classical computers to tackle within a reasonable timeframe.
The experiment focused on performing a calculation known as random circuit sampling, which is commonly used to explore whether quantum computers outperform classical machines. In this instance, the quantum computer was tasked with generating patterns so intricate that classical computers cannot efficiently replicate them. While this benchmark is useful for testing the limits of classical simulation, verifying the correctness of the quantum machine's answer becomes increasingly challenging once the calculation becomes too complex for classical computers to handle.
To overcome this verification challenge, the researchers employed a new error correction strategy that enabled them to encode 70 logical qubits into the quantum computer. By doing so, they were able to perform 2,415 logical two-qubit operations and 468 logical T gates, which are crucial measures of the complexity of the quantum circuit.
The use of logical qubits proved to be highly effective in reducing errors, with the effective logical error rates being 10 times lower than the underlying physical error rates. This breakthrough in error correction and verification techniques has brought quantum computing one step closer to practical applications, as it establishes a foundation of trust in the reliability of quantum computations.
Jay Gambetta, Director of IBM Research and IBM Fellow, emphasized that this milestone marks the beginning of the quantum advantage era, where quantum computers can now perform tasks beyond the practical reach of classical computers.
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