Microsoft announced the creation of the first topological qubit, marking a significant milestone in quantum computing if the claim stands. While this achievement brings topological qubits to where traditional qubits were 20-30 years ago, Microsoft faces the challenge of proving their superior reliability to compete with more established approaches.
Microsoft has unveiled Majorana 1, the world's first quantum processor using topological qubits, designed to scale to a million qubits on a single chip. The breakthrough involves a new material class called topoconductor, enabling practical quantum computing through hardware-protected qubits and digital control systems. DARPA has selected Microsoft to advance to the final phase of their quantum benchmarking program, aiming to build a fault-tolerant prototype in the coming years.