The Future Indicated by Google's Quantum Computer: New Possibilities Unlocked by Ultra-Fast Computing from Medicine to Space - What 13,000 Times the Speed and "Verifiability" Mean

A New Standard of "Verifiable Quantum Advantage"

On October 22, 2025 (U.S. time), Google announced that it had demonstrated "verifiable quantum advantage" by running a new algorithm, Quantum Echoes, on its quantum chip Willow. Unlike many previous "quantum supremacy" experiments that competed on "interesting but not very useful problems," this time, the key difference is that it measures observable quantities in physical systems that can be verified by third parties. Google stated that this computation was 13,000 times faster than the best algorithms of the most advanced supercomputers, and announced its publication in the academic journal Nature.Reuters

What Was Calculated—Looking Inside Molecules with "Echoes"

The key to Quantum Echoes is that it allows the measurement of indicators (OTOC measurements) of how quickly information spreads in quantum systems to be used as a "ruler" for the internal dynamics of molecules and solids. Google explained that this method can be mutually verified with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) approaches and emphasized its "verifiability" by stating that it can be reproduced in other quantum devices and experiments. The computation targets interactions in small molecular systems, an area of fundamental physics directly linked to materials design and drug discovery.Scientific American

The Hardware Foundation—The Base Called Willow

The success of this achievement owes much not only to the algorithm but also to the maturation of the hardware. Google positions Willow as a high-precision superconducting quantum processor, stating that enabling fast and large-scale repetitive measurements was the breakthrough's background. The official explanation emphasizes that the orders of magnitude higher throughput of trials improved the reliability of observational statistics.blog.google

The Meaning of 13,000 Times—It's Not Just "Fast"

The figure of 13,000 times is headline-worthy, but the important point is that it surpassed in **"observable quantities that can connect to the real world". Rather than simple random number generation or puzzle-like tasks, it reached values of importance in materials and chemistry with speed and accuracy unattainable by classical computation. As a result, the doors to applications such as drug discovery and functional material exploration, and even AI training data generation, have "theoretically" opened wider than ever before.Reuters

Industrial Impact—Areas to Benefit First

In the short to medium term, the leading areas could be (1) accelerated molecular simulations improving the discovery probability of hit compounds, (2) exploration of defects and interactions in materials design, and (3) new, high-fidelity data generation for AI. Reports repeatedly mentioned drug discovery, materials science, and AI as the three major use cases.Reuters

SNS Reflected "Excitement and Reservation"

Immediately after the announcement, Google's CEO Sundar Pichai shared the achievement on X (formerly Twitter). He stated, "A new quantum algorithm published in Nature. Willow has reached 'verifiable quantum advantage'", expressing expectations for future practical applications. In response, Elon Musk briefly replied, **"Congrats. Looks like quantum computing is becoming relevant."**, symbolizing the growing interest in the current state of quantum computing.X (formerly Twitter)

Furthermore, researchers and product managers also reacted in succession. Kevin Weil and Refik Anadol spread the significance of "13,000 times" and "verifiability," quickly turning the tech community's timeline into a quantum-centric one.X (formerly Twitter)

Meanwhile, on Hacker News and Reddit, discussions of skepticism and verification became active with topics like "careful definition of 'world's first'" and "differences from past 'quantum supremacy.'" Attitudes keeping a distance from the hype were also noticeable.Hacker News

Expert Perspective—Expectations and Realities for "Within Five Years"

Google hints at **"a few years until quantum computing is useful in the real world", but from academia, there are voices that "challenges remain". For example, the full implementation of fault tolerance (error correction), the longevity of logical qubits, and the control and cooling costs that accompany scaling up remain high hurdles. British expert Winfried Hensinger** and others express a calm view, stating, "This achievement is historic, but widespread practical use will still take time."The Guardian

Security Homework—"Harvest Attacks" and PQC

The advancement of quantum computing simultaneously reminds us of the future risks to existing cryptography. While the achievement itself is a computation leaning towards chemistry and materials, considering the speed of evolution, the transition to **post-quantum cryptography (PQC)** is imperative, as highlighted in reports and expert comments. Companies and government agencies should preemptively design for "harvest attacks" on stored data (stolen now and decrypted in the future).The Guardian

The "Sense of Technology" Conveyed by the NYT Article

This news was prominently covered in the New York Times, with local coverage by journalist Cade Metz, including photos from the research facility in Santa Barbara, emphasizing the angle of "quantum to accelerate the development of drugs and materials." The "heat" conveyed by East Coast media from the West Coast research site spread to secondary reports worldwide.The Star

Where is the "Next Checkpoint"?

Google sets the next focus on the **"Milestone 3 = Long-lived Logical Qubits" on its roadmap. If this can be overcome, the design and optimization of "practical-grade" algorithms incorporating error correction will accelerate, making hybrid computing of quantum and classical more realistic. Companies should prepare by 2026 for (1) identifying businesses where quantum computing has an advantage, (2) planning for PQC transition, and (3) building experimental systems to supply AI with simulation data amplified by quantum computing.blog.google