Overview
- Google says the Quantum Echoes algorithm ran on its Willow chip about 13,000 times faster than the best classical method on top supercomputers and can be checked on a comparable quantum device.
- In a proof-of-concept with UC Berkeley, the team probed two molecules of 15 and 28 atoms, reproducing NMR findings while revealing additional structural information.
- Key technical details were peer-reviewed in Nature, while application-focused results were posted on arXiv; co-authors include 2025 Nobel laureate Michel Devoret.
- Google frames the work as a step toward practical uses in chemistry, drug discovery and materials science, building on Willow’s error-correction progress reported in 2024.
- Google Quantum AI head Hartmut Neven projects quantum-unique applications within about five years, as outside specialists cited by EFE urge caution about real-world utility.