SignalsAZ.com Prescott News Podcast - Inside Google's Willow Quantum Computer

Episode Date: April 15, 2025

Send us a text and chime in!Google has built a new kind of computer. It’s called Willow, and while it doesn’t look much like your laptop or phone, it could one day help solve some of the world’s biggest problems, like finding new medicines, making better batteries, or understanding climate change. Willow is what’s known as a quantum computer. These machines are still in the early stages, but scientists believe they have the potential to do things regular computers simply can’t. So what exactly is Willow, and why does it matter? What Is Willow? Willow is a 72-qubit quantum computer built by Google. “Qubits” are the... For the written story, read here >> https://www.signalsaz.com/articles/inside-googles-willow-quantum-computer/Check out the CAST11.com Website at: https://CAST11.com Follow the CAST11 Podcast Network on Facebook at: https://Facebook.com/CAST11AZFollow Cast11 Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/cast11_podcast_network

Text to Speech Audio Articles made possible by Cast 11 Talking Glass Media. Google has built a new kind of computer. It's called Willow, and while it doesn't look much like your laptop or phone, it could one day help solve some of the world's biggest problems, like finding new medicines, making better batteries, or understanding climate change. Willow is what's known as a quantum computer. These machines are still in the early stages, but scientists believe they have the potential to do things regular computers simply can't. So what exactly is Willow, and why does it matter? What is Willow? Willow is a 72-cubic quantum computer built by Google. Cubits are the basic units of information in quantum computers. They're similar to the bits in regular computers, which use either a 1 or 0 to represent information.

But cubits can do something bits can't, they can be both 1 and 0 at the same time. This weird trick, made possible by quantum physics, gives quantum computers incredible power when solving certain types of problem. Think of a regular computer as a very fast, very smart person reading through a list of possible answers, one at a time. A quantum computer, on the other hand, is like a person who can look at many answers all at once and figure out, almost instantly, which one is best. This is possible because of two key, complicated ideas from quantum physics, superposition and entanglement. These abilities give quantum computers unique strengths while also making them hard to build and operate. Willow is not yet powerful enough to do useful work on its own, but it helps researchers test new ideas, learn how to reduce errors and take steps toward building more advanced quantum machines in the future. Why is Willow important? To understand why Willow matters, it helps to look at what quantum computers could do. Today's computers, even the world's fastest supercomputers, have limitations. For example, if you ask them to figure out the best combination of ingredients for a brand new medicine, they would have to try every possible mix, one by one. That could take years, decades, or longer. But a quantum computer like Willow could

explore many combinations at the same time. That means it could help scientists simulate molecules more quickly and accurately, speeding up the discovery of new drugs or materials. In the future, quantum computers may help. Design more powerful and longer-lasting batteries. Create safer and more efficient airplanes. Improve artificial intelligence. Break certain kinds of encryption and create new, more secure ones. Predict the effects of climate change with more accuracy. Optimize traffic flow in cities or delivery routes for companies. Willow isn't doing all of that just yet, but it's an important step in learning how to

build the machines that someday might. Can quantum computers replace other computers? Your laptop or phone is still better at most everyday tasks like browsing the web, editing photos, or running video games. Quantum computers like Willow are not meant to replace regular computers but to work alongside them on special kinds of problems. They're like powerful tools in a toolbox, great for certain jobs but not for everything. Today's supercomputers are used in a wide range of tasks, from weather forecasting to nuclear simulations. Quantum computers, by contrast, are far more specialized. Think of a classical supercomputer like a high-speed freight train, powerful and efficient along established tracks.

Willow, on the other hand, is like a prototype jet. It may not be as reliable today, but it has the potential to reach entirely new destinations once the technology matures. What's next for Willow and quantum computing? Google's long-term goal is to build a fault-tolerant quantum computer, which means it can work reliably without constant errors. That could take years or even decades, but Willow is an important step in getting there. Researchers are using Willow to test new ways of connecting and correcting cubits, learning how to build more advanced and stable quantum computers, and exploring how to make quantum computers useful outside the lab. Why should you care? You might not use a quantum computer yourself anytime soon, but the breakthroughs they enable

could affect your life in big ways. Imagine going to the doctor and getting medicine designed exactly for your body, or buying an electric car with a battery that charges in minutes and lasts for days, or living in a city where traffic jams are a thing of the past because deliveries and commutes are planned perfectly. These are just a few of the possibilities that quantum computers could help unlock, and Willow is one of the machines paving the way. Catch up with more business, finance, and technology news on signalsaz.com. Subscribe and be the F1 RSD2-No.