Google unveils quantum computer breakthrough; critics say wait a qubit - Reuters

BERLIN/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Alphabet Inc's (GOOGL.O) Google said on Wednesday it had achieved a breakthrough in computing research by using a quantum computer to solve in minutes a complex problem that would take today's most powerful supercomputer thousands of years to crack. Google researchers expect that quantum computers within a few years will fuel advancements in fields such as artificial intelligence, materials science, and chemistry. The company is racing rivals including IBM Corp (IBM.N) and Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) to be the first to commercialize the technology and sell it through its cloud computing business. "We're hoping that when people start using this and looking at performance stability and cloud interface, they'll get really excited about what we have to offer at Google," John Martinis, the company's chief scientist for quantum hardware, told reporters. The breakthrough was described in a paper here published in science journal Nature. It followed weeks of controversy since a draft leaked over whether Google's claim of "quantum supremacy" was valid.