The Chinese Ministry of Science announced publicly on January 30, that the first direct sale of a quantum-type computer system to a client would take place in its territory beginning of 2022. Although the user's identity or the purpose for which it will be used is unknown, it is known that it is the 24-qubit Wuyan system based on superconducting technology.
Origin Quantum computing technology is the third Chinese company to sell these qualities after Canada and the United States.
Weifeng zhona, a researcher at George Mason University in Fairfax (Virginia), said that the Chinese government should disclose this information in a transparent manner because it is necessary because it has been purchased before, which isn't a problem, and that, otherwise, the invention might be used as a step forward in the country's economic integration to the rest of the world.
The announcement by hodan omaara, a senior AI policy analyst at the Center for Data Innovation, represents a significant step forward for China to overcome the technical difficulties faced by large-scale quantum computers. So, now the country will need to increase qubits for its national quantum systems and increase its competitiveness in the sector.
The Wuyan system has limitations such as a low qubit count, excessive noise, and other factors that make it difficult for a quantum computer to process data and write reliable applications.
The sale of a 24-qubit quantum computer to a user demonstrates that the Asian giant is moving at a different rate than other countries, and that it does not take into account that most of this type of computer system is accessible today via the cloud.
Quantum technology is expanding rapidly, in a manner that will no longer be viable in less than two years. That is why quantum users prefer to use this type of service over the cloud.
The Wuyan is constructed using superconducting chip technology, one of the first quantum computers' capabilities that has outperformed others such as photonics, trapped ions, and neutral atoms. However, a possible hybrid of technologies cannot be excluded because superconducting requires a refrigeration of below zero degrees Kelvin.
The advantage of quantum computers is that the electrons that make them up are difficult to handle due to their short time between coherence cycles, which is why they must be cooled to a very low temperature. Ideally, this way, the goal is to reach 1,000 qubits with error correction—although it is difficult to know which technique is the most appropriate for quantum computers when solving problems.
Omaar claimed that superconducting chips have additional advantages because they are easy to manipulate when working with microwaves and suitable for quantum computing. In addition, the development of high-quality devices can leverage advanced chip manufacturing technologies and enhance flexibility.
Many scientists agree that quantum computers will be able to solve complex problems beyond the reach of traditional computing technology, even if they require many years to achieve them. These difficulties would require at least a million qubits, as well as scalability and stabilization of the qubits.
Quantum computing, according to IT-Harvest founder and chief research analyst Richard Stiennon, is still in its early days and needs to be improved in terms of length of the routes and resistance of the forces. A significant economic and time investment will go hand in hand with clear quantum progress.
