Google CEO says 'useful' quantum computers coming in 5-10 years
What's the story
Google CEO Sundar Pichai has predicted that "practically useful" quantum computers will become a reality in the next five to 10 years. He made the prediction during his recent appearance at the World Governments Summit in Dubai. Pichai likened the current state of quantum computing to the early days of artificial intelligence (AI) development in the 2010s.
Quantum revolution
Quantum computing: The next big leap in technology
"The quantum moment reminds me of where AI was in the 2010s, when we were working on Google Brain and the early progress," Pichai said at the summit. He emphasized that both governments and corporations across the globe are pouring a lot of money into quantum computing research. The nascent tech could dramatically improve data processing speed and capacity, allowing more accurate predictions and modeling of complex systems.
Practical application
Quantum computing's potential and current limitations
Despite its potential, quantum computing is only being used for research purposes at the moment. The timeline for its practical application still remains a matter of debate among industry experts. Unlike Pichai's optimistic forecast, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang had said in January that "very useful" quantum computers could still be decades away. This had caused a major drop in quantum stocks.
Quantum advancement
Google's recent breakthrough in quantum computing
Pichai also emphasized a recent breakthrough by Google in the area of quantum chips with Willow. The development enabled researchers to solve a complex problem in just five minutes, something that would have taken the current supercomputers several billion years. "The progress in quantum is palpably exciting," Pichai said, highlighting the rapid advancements being made in this cutting-edge technology.