D-Wave announced that its annealing quantum computer beat a powerful classical supercomputer in a key test. Annealing helps find the best answers by testing many options quickly.

The test involved magnetic materials simulation. This work matters for finding new materials for tech and science. D-Wave’s findings appeared in the journal Science. The paper, “Beyond-Classical Computation in Quantum Simulation,” shows this is the first time a quantum computer proved better than a classical one on a real problem. Scientists from many countries worked together on this.

The scientists used D-Wave’s Advantage2 prototype and the Frontier supercomputer of the U.S. Department of Energy. They tested spin glasses, which are hard magnetic material problems. D-Wave’s machine finished the toughest simulation in minutes. The supercomputer would need almost a million years for the same job. It would also use more energy than the world makes in a year. D-Wave’s CEO Alan Baratz said this proves their quantum computers can solve useful problems better than traditional supercomputers. Customers can use this tech now for real benefits.

The promise of quantum annealers

Understanding materials relies on quantum physics. Magnetic materials help in medicine, electronics, and motors. Simulating them on computers aids discovery, but it’s hard and takes lots of power. D-Wave’s quantum computer handles these tasks faster and better. The Advantage2 prototype’s fast anneal feature made this possible and could lead to new materials. Earlier studies in Nature journals showed quantum annealing speeds up tough problems. This built the path to this new result.

This project encourages a dream of simulating nature with quantum tech. It could spark new science and quantum uses. The Advantage2 is available now through D-Wave’s Leap cloud service. A newer version runs even bigger simulations.

A D-Wave press release lists some comments to this achievement by leading scientists and industry experts. “Although large-scale, fully error-corrected quantum computers are years in the future, quantum annealers can probe the features of quantum systems today,” says Seth Lloyd, Professor of Quantum Mechanical Engineering at MIT. “The D-Wave result shows the promise of quantum annealers for exploring exotic quantum effects in a wide variety of systems.”

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