Chinese scientists say Zuchongzhi 3.0 quantum computer is as powerful as Google’s Willow

Chinese scientists have unveiled Zuchongzhi 3.0, a 105-qubit quantum processor that brings China on par with the United States in the race to build the world’s most powerful quantum computer.

The announcement came about a week after Google revealed its Willow processor, highlighting how closely the two nations are matched in pushing the boundaries of quantum technology.

Both Zuchongzhi 3.0 and Willow house 105 qubits, so far the highest count achieved in superconducting quantum devices, according to a paper released by the Chinese team on Tuesday, which is yet to undergo peer review.

Zuchongzhi 3.0 showed high precision in qubit operations and stability, comparable to Willow’s performance, according to the research team led by Pan Jianwei of the University of Science and Technology of China.

Google’s Willow achieved major advances in quantum error correction, a crucial step towards making quantum machines more reliable. The Chinese scientists have announced plans to incorporate similar techniques for Zuchongzhi 3.0 in the coming months.

They said their processor widened the gap in computational abilities between quantum and classical computers, serving as “both a testament to the progress in quantum hardware and a foundation for practical applications”.

Quantum computers use qubits instead of traditional computer bits to process information. Unlike classical bits, which can represent either a 0 or a 1, qubits can exist in a “superposition” state – essentially representing both 0 and 1 simultaneously.