Part 6/9:
Despite the excitement, many are questioning the practicality of Willow's recent achievements. The specific calculation it performed—producing a random distribution—lacks immediate applications. Critics argue that this mirrors a previous claim made by Google regarding quantum supremacy in 2019.
Notably, physicist Sabine Hossenfelder expressed skepticism about the usefulness of the latest claim, highlighting the same calculation had been made previously without substantial implications.
Nonetheless, Google’s ambitions for Willow extend beyond theoretical milestones. The company aims to scale up the chip's capabilities to unlock genuine practical applications, a goal that will determine the future success of its quantum computing endeavors.