Google's quantum supremacy demonstration pitted the world's largest supercomputer against a single quantum chip. A path to further scaleup may involve a large supercomputer working together withquantum chips, instead of in competition with them.
Quantum computation promises to execute certain computational tasks on time scales much faster than any known algorithm on an existing classical computer, for example calculating the prime factors of large integers. Recently a research team from Google claimed to have carried out such a task with a quantum computer, demonstrating in practice a case of this so-called quantum supremacy. Here we argue that this claim was not justified. Unlike other comments, our criticism is concerned with the missing verification of the output data of the quantum computation.
"Quantum supremacy" is such a level of performance of a quantum computer that it provides solutions to problems requiring practically unattainable power from conventional supercomputers. As of today, quantum supremacy is achieved only on some model tasks by several quantum computers, but the development of quantum computing is going on all over the world. The development of quantum computing includes not only the creation of quantum computers, but also the creation of infrastructure for access to computing power, the development of software, and the capability to use quantum computers together with conventional supercomputers. The countries in which these laboratories have been formed have become leaders in the field of quantum computing. Quantum computer laboratories focus on the development, modeling, integration, and adaptation of practical applications for the new quantum computer. The presentation of the first quantum computer is an important milestone. This is not a one-off initiative, but part of a broad strategy for promoting breakthrough technologies in various fields. All these efforts are part of an international strategic plan for the development of quantum computing aimed at maintaining the technological leadership of developers, preserving the competitiveness of high-tech industry, and ensuring the sustainable economic growth of smart technologies.