The World’s Highest Performing Quantum Computer is Here

Honeywell has developed the highest performing quantum computer with a quantum volume of 64, making it twice as powerful as its nearest competitor. This achievement is due to high-quality qubits with low error rates, achieved through identical, fully connected qubits and precise control. The quantum computer operates in an ultra-high vacuum chamber cooled to near absolute zero, where individual atoms are manipulated with lasers for quantum operations.

Quantum computers use qubits that can exist in multiple states simultaneously, enabling them to explore many potential outcomes at once. This property, known as superposition, exponentially increases computational power, allowing quantum computers to solve problems beyond classical supercomputers. Honeywell focuses on minimizing errors and scaling up qubits to expand quantum volume and capability. Collaborations with companies like Zapata Computing and Cambridge Quantum Computing, and integration into Microsoft’s Azure Quantum platform, aim to make these resources accessible to various industries for solving complex problems.

Advances like this in quantum computing poses a potential threat to cryptographic algorithms securing blockchain networks. The Quantum Resistant Ledger (QRL) addresses this by using post-quantum cryptographic algorithms to protect its blockchain from future quantum attacks. As quantum computing progresses, solutions like QRL will be crucial to maintaining blockchain security.