The modern world is developing rapidly, and science has proven more than once that it is capable of catching up with fiction. Even now, while you are reading these lines, humanity is making a huge leap in the development of quantum technologies. Now the world of computing is no longer black and white. Instead of a simple “yes” or “no”, “maybe” appeared, and processes that used to take years now take place in seconds. This is the essence of quantum technologies. And while we’re not flying intergalactic spaceships or traveling through time yet, Willow’s quantum chip is a step toward a future that seems unimaginable. This is not just a new toy of scientists, but a real tool that can change the approach to solving problems: from medicine to climate, from transport to cyber security. Willow promises to revolutionize the way we think about the possibilities of technology. But let’s figure out whether humanity is ready for such a leap and how exactly such a breakthrough will affect each of us.
A powerful novelty that can change the world
The last month of 2024 was marked by a high-profile presentation by Google Quantum AI of the new Willow quantum computing chip. Willow’s quantum chip is a new technology that uses so-called qubits instead of the usual binary system of ones and zeroes. A qubit, in simple words, can be both a zero and a one at the same time. Don’t ask how it works, because even physicists get confused sometimes. The main thing this means is that a quantum chip can solve processes that take years for a regular computer to solve in a few seconds. Such a process can be compared to assembling a puzzle from a million parts. An ordinary computer goes through all the options one by one, and Willow only needs to look at the box from under the puzzle and everything is ready.
Quantum computing is a new stage of technological evolution that brings us closer to computing that occurs in nature itself. In recent decades, quantum computing has gone from a theoretical concept to a full-fledged industry with billions of investments. Giants such as Google, IBM, Microsoft, Amazon and Intel are making significant investments in the development of quantum technology research, competing with each other.
Proud of its recent invention, Google claims that the Willow chip can solve a problem in five minutes that would take the fastest supercomputers 10 septillion (and this is a number with 21 zeros – from the editor) years. The founder of the Google Quantum AI team, Hartmut Neven, even touched on the topic of the existence of parallel universes. But this theory is still unproven. Scientists, including the American theoretical astrophysicist and science writer Ethan Siegel, indicate on the randomness of the result of Willow’s calculations and do not connect it with the idea of the existence of parallel universes.
An important moment at Willow’s presentation was the demonstration of an algorithm that allows you to create one logical qubit based on many physical quantum bits. According to Google representatives, such an aggregated qubit is much more stable than each individual physical one. Therefore, the implementation of a logical qubit is an important step forward, which confirms the possibility of overcoming the limitations of physical quantum bits and contributes to the implementation of reliable quantum computing.
How a quantum chip will change different areas of life
Quantum chips are a superpower in the world of technology, capable of doing things that would take ordinary computers millions of years to do. For example, drug development, which normally takes years, can take just a few days. Thanks to the quantum chip, it is possible to model the interaction of molecules and predict how drugs will affect the body. That means: faster cancer cures, personalized medicine, and solving genetic mysteries. And maybe a computer will be able to identify your disease faster than Google.
Quantum chips can optimize energy use by finding the best solutions for production and storage. For example, they are able to predict when solar panels will produce maximum energy, or how to reduce electricity losses in networks.
Standing in traffic jams takes millions of hours of human life. And a quantum chip can calculate ideal routes for all cars in the city in real time, preventing traffic jams. And if we add autonomous cars to this, then we will completely forget what “undercutting on the road” is.
Complex climate change models that take months to calculate can be calculated by a quantum chip in a few hours. This will allow a better understanding of how to influence climate change, find ways to reduce emissions and even predict the consequences of natural disasters. Who knows, maybe with Willow we will save polar bears.
Every second counts in financial markets. Willow is able to predict economic trends, analyze billions of scenarios and find the best investment decisions. Banks and traders will definitely not be left out of the quantum revolution, although ordinary investors can only hope that it will be for the good.
The new technology can be used in the military sector. Quantum sensing can improve intelligence and surveillance systems, and become an alternative to GPS for navigation and location. Quantum communication can protect sensitive electronic networks. A quantum computer can speed up the development of autonomous weapons or provide unimpeded access to encrypted enemy files.
Quantum chips can simulate complex physical processes, helping scientists explore the universe. For example, they can answer questions about how dark matter came to be or what will happen if we finally understand how black holes work.
Revolution or disaster in waiting
A quantum chip capable of breaking codes, calculating millions of scenarios and modeling the future. Sounds promising, but have you considered that this same technology could turn against us? After all, quantum chips like Willow are capable of destroying the entire modern cyber security system. To someone with this technology, all passwords, bank details and even government secrets are an open book. Quantum chips can both create new data protection algorithms and crack the most complex passwords. This is both a super defense and a potential threat. Whoever owns quantum technologies owns the world. So keep your passwords away from the quantum computer.
Therefore, it is necessary to understand that quantum computing can be used to create ideal weapons, predict political manipulations or even control the economy. All it takes is one attacker with access to the chip to wreak havoc. It should not be forgotten that such technologies also require large finances, which means that access to quantum computing may be limited to developed countries and large corporations.
As one of the heroes of the fantastic movie “Spider-Man” said, with great power comes great responsibility. And so the dilemma arises whether humanity can control such a potential. Because if we learn how to solve global problems with the help of quantum technologies, what will prevent them from being used to create global catastrophes?
So far, Willow’s quantum chip is more about potential than practical use. After all, one must understand that most of them are bulky and somewhat futuristic-looking devices. Huge cylinders with numerous copper wires, tubes and gold plates, which stretch from the ceiling to the floor, are unlikely to fit well into the interior of the apartment. Such a cryostat should cool qubits to temperatures close to absolute zero (–273.16 degrees Celsius – from the editor).
Thus, according to surveys by the McKinsey consulting company, 72% of optimistic heads of technology companies, investors and scientists in this field believe that a full-fledged quantum computer will be created by 2035. The remaining 28% of realists predict that the implementation of this fantastic new product will become possible no earlier than 2040.
But if everything goes according to plan, then in a few decades quantum technologies may become part of our everyday life. We may not even notice how they will change our smartphones, cars and medicine. In fact, quantum computers are unlikely to completely replace classical computers, as they will not be efficient enough to perform ordinary calculations. However, they will be very useful for tasks that require parallel calculations to obtain approximate results, which is almost impossible to implement on classical devices. Quantum computers will be especially useful for simulations of molecules, protein folding, aerodynamic and hydrodynamic problems, as well as for optimization, logistics in the defense sector.
For now, we can only watch this technological race and hope that it actually works for the good of humanity and doesn’t turn us into statistics in the hands of some super-thief. Well, the quantum world is just around the corner. And if you suddenly want to start studying quantum physics, then don’t wait – maybe you will become the next author of revolutionary technologies. Well, or at least you can explain to your friends what a qubit is.
