US-built quantum computer outshines world’s top supercomputers in key tests

A U.S.-built quantum computer has outperformed leading supercomputers in key optimization tests, demonstrating the first quantum scaling advantage for approximate problem-solving. Researchers at USC used a D-Wave quantum annealing processor with over 1,300 error-suppressed qubits to achieve this breakthrough. The quantum system showed a scaling advantage over classical algorithms when finding near-optimal solutions within 1% of the best outcome. This advancement opens new possibilities for using quantum computing in real-world optimization tasks where approximate solutions suffice.