In a milestone for quantum technology, Chinese researchers showed that their 76-qubit photonic processor, Jiuzhang, completed a calculation in four minutes— a task estimated to take the world's top classical supercomputers 2.6 billion years. Unlike electrical-circuit-based computers, Jiuzhang uses photons to process data, achieving unprecedented speeds.The system employs Gaussian boson sampling, with photons navigating mirrors and prisms to generate vast simultaneous outcomes via superposition and entanglement. Instead of sequential processing, it explores multiple possibilities at once, potentially revolutionizing cryptography, chemistry, AI, and materials science.This breakthrough advances the pursuit of quantum advantage. Though not yet practical for daily use, Jiuzhang proves quantum supremacy—outperforming classical machines—is now real.
Source / Credit:
Zhong, H.-S., et al. (2020). Quantum computational advantage using photons on Jiuzhang quantum computer. Science, 370(6523).