D-Wave Quantum (QBTS, Financial), a key player in the quantum computing sector, saw its stock price jump by nearly 18.8%, marking a 25% increase over two days. This surge follows the company's announcement that its quantum annealing computer surpassed one of the world's most powerful traditional supercomputers in simulating complex magnetic materials, marking a significant breakthrough in real-world quantum computing applications.
The breakthrough has positively impacted other quantum computing stocks. IonQ saw a 12% rise, Rigetti Computing increased by 5.8%, Quantum Computing was up by 10%, SkyWater Technology gained 4.8%, and Arqit Quantum rose by 8%.
D-Wave's study, published in the journal "Science," demonstrated the quantum computer's ability to simulate magnetic material properties in under 20 minutes. In contrast, the same task would take the Oak Ridge National Laboratory's supercomputer nearly a million years and consume more power than the world uses in a year. This development is crucial for industries like sensors, smartphones, motors, and medical imaging devices.
The company's Advantage2 prototype, which achieved this computational feat, is now available to enterprises and research institutions via D-Wave’s Leap quantum cloud service for practical applications in material science and physics simulations.
Despite these achievements, some scientists have questioned D-Wave's claim of "quantum supremacy," arguing that traditional computers can still achieve comparable results. A team led by Miles Stoudenmire at the Flatiron Institute published a paper highlighting that while D-Wave's research was valid at a certain time, advancements in traditional computing methods have since emerged. D-Wave's Chief Developer, Trevor Lanting, countered these claims, asserting that traditional computers cannot fully replicate their results.
The term "quantum supremacy" itself is contentious, as experts like Heather West from IDC suggest using "quantum advantage" or "quantum practicality" to describe scenarios where quantum computers outperform traditional ones in speed, accuracy, and cost-effectiveness. Nonetheless, D-Wave maintains that their achievement exemplifies "quantum supremacy," as they solved a problem deemed unsolvable by the most advanced traditional methods.
