D-Wave Quantum announced on Wednesday that it has achieved “quantum supremacy” using a practical problem, a first in the industry. The company’s Advantage2 system solved a simulation problem in 20 minutes, a task that would take one of the world’s most powerful supercomputers over 1 million years. A peer-reviewed paper detailing these findings was published in the journal Science.
D-Wave claims to achieve quantum supremacy
Quantum supremacy, or quantum advantage, refers to the ability of a quantum computer to perform a task that no classical computer can complete. The term was originated by theoretical physicist John Preskill in 2011, with researchers striving for this milestone ever since.
In 2019, Google claimed quantum supremacy when its Sycamore processor performed a calculation in 200 seconds that would have required 10,000 years on the fastest supercomputer at the time. Further claims arose from researchers in China in 2020 and 2021. However, D-Wave asserts it is the first to demonstrate quantum supremacy through solving a real-world problem related to materials discovery, contrasting with previous claims centered on “random number generation of no practical value,” according to CEO Alan Baratz.
The paper demonstrated how D-Wave’s Advantage2 processor outperformed Hewlett-Packard Enterprise’s Frontier, the second-most-powerful supercomputer globally. The Advantage2 processor, equipped with 1,200 qubits, was made available through D-Wave’s quantum cloud service in February 2024. Despite being a prototype, D-Wave emphasized that its design is informed by 15 years of client feedback.
Andrew King, a senior distinguished scientist at D-Wave, highlighted two “fundamental pillars” contributing to their achievement: greater connectivity and greater coherence. Connectivity measures how many devices each quantum bit, or qubit, can connect to; the Advantage system offers 15-way connectivity, while Advantage2 supports 20-way connectivity. King explained that higher connectivity enhances the range of simulations and problems that can be solved.
Coherence refers to the ability of particles within a quantum system to display multiple states simultaneously while remaining linked over distance. The experiment focused on simulating properties of magnetic materials, which are ubiquitous and essential in devices like cellphones and medical imaging technologies, according to D-Wave chief scientist Mohammad Amin.
Amin stated, “Simulating properties of materials can accelerate the discovery of materials, as you can find the property that you’re looking for and fabricate the material, which could save a lot of time and money.” He noted that the laws of quantum mechanics make simulating magnetic materials on classical computers “practically impossible,” highlighting the importance of quantum computing.
Baratz described the achievement as “the holy grail,” emphasizing its significance in solving important real-world problems that classical computers cannot address.
However, D-Wave’s claims have faced skepticism according to NewResearch. Researchers at the Flatiron Institute’s Center for Computational Quantum Physics argued in a recent paper that D-Wave’s assertions of quantum supremacy are outdated. They claimed D-Wave relied on the most powerful classical computer available at the time, which has since been surpassed by newer machines, undermining their supposed weaknesses in materials simulations.
D-Wave’s claims come shortly after Microsoft and Amazon announced their own quantum processors. Analysts at Yardeni Research noted that the competition in quantum computing suggests larger companies have advantages due to their greater resources and stability. Baratz acknowledged this competition but maintained that D-Wave has a unique advantage due to its annealing quantum architecture, which is easier to scale compared to the gate-based systems used by competitors such as IBM and Rigetti Computing.
D-Wave has developed five generations of annealing technology and is currently working on Advantage2, its sixth iteration. Baratz indicated that the company’s advancements would enable new applications in areas including artificial intelligence.
D-Wave is set to report its fourth-quarter financial results on March 13. Following the announcement, shares rose 11% to $5.97, while peers Rigetti, Quantum Computing, and IonQ saw increases of 7.5%, 12%, and 13%, respectively.
Despite D-Wave’s claims, skepticism persists. For instance, researchers at New York University, led by Dries Sels, reported performing similar calculations on a standard laptop in just two hours using tensor networks, a mathematical approach that reduces simulation data requirements. King responded that Sels’ work did not encompass all the problems, sizes, and observables tackled by D-Wave’s research.
In another critique, Linda Mauron and Giuseppe Carleo from EPFL in Switzerland noted that transverse field Ising model problems can be resolved without needing quantum entanglement or by simulating minimal entanglement with conventional computers.
Carleo stated they accomplished a computation predicted to take D-Wave’s systems 200 years within three days using four graphics processing units. He suggested that future outcomes may surpass D-Wave’s capabilities, advising against claims of unassailable performance in quantum simulation.
In the realm of quantum computing, precedent exists for claims of unbeatable performance being challenged. Google’s Sycamore was touted for completing tasks once believed infeasible for classical computers, only for researchers to achieve similar results with traditional setups thereafter.
As one of the early start-ups in the quantum computing sector, D-Wave has faced scrutiny over the authenticity of its quantum technology. Aleks Kissinger from the University of Oxford acknowledged that while the company has garnered more respect recently, the effectiveness of its devices in outperforming classical computers remains a point of interest.
Featured image credit: D-Wave
