Google’s claim on Wednesday to have made a major breakthrough in computing called “quantum supremacy” is just an early step in the long road to perfecting its nascent technology.
The tech giant next hopes to expand on its announcement—that it had used a quantum computer to make a calculation at speeds far exceeding current technology—to achieve tougher milestones and, ultimately, create a new business.
For years, researchers at a number of companies have worked on quantum computers, which rely on strange quantum effects like “superposition” and “entanglement.” In achieving the long sought-after goal of quantum supremacy, Google has made a notable step forward that paves the way for advances in a range of areas from energy to health care to physics.
