- Microsoft announced its new Majorana 2 quantum chip is 1,000 times more reliable than its previous generation, achieving qubit lifetimes of up to a minute.
- The company’s AI tools were instrumental in accelerating research and manufacturing, bringing its timeline for scalable quantum computing forward to 2029.
- This progress intensifies concerns over “Q-Day,” when quantum computers could break the cryptography securing Bitcoin and the internet, putting $461 billion worth of BTC at risk.
- Google projects this cryptographic breaking point could arrive by 2032, while other researchers estimate 2030.
Microsoft unveiled a major quantum computing breakthrough on Tuesday at its Build conference, introducing the Majorana 2 chip which it claims brings scalable quantum machines closer to reality. The announcement heightens a global race toward machines powerful enough to potentially crack the foundational security of Bitcoin and digital finance.
Microsoft stated the new topological chip is 1,000 times more reliable than its predecessor, with qubits lasting an average of 20 seconds. This leap was enabled by a lead-based superconductor design that better shields qubits from disruptive interference.
Consequently, the company now believes it can achieve a scalable quantum computer by 2029. “We’ve got to keep marching to that roadmap to accomplish that, but where are we relative to last year? We’re 1,000 times better,” said Microsoft Technical Fellow Chetan Nayak.
AI played a pivotal role in this acceleration, according to a detailed blog post. The company’s AI agents automated complex measurements and optimized fabrication processes that humans would approach too linearly.
“Using agentic AI to automate the measurements was a game-changer,” said Microsoft corporate vice president Zulfi Alam. The tools could perform parallel voltage adjustments and rapidly identify optimal operational points.
Meanwhile, this progress fuels existing fears about “Q-Day,” when quantum computers could break public-key cryptography. An attacker with such a machine could derive private keys from public ones to steal cryptocurrency funds.
Specifically, approximately $461 billion in Bitcoin is considered vulnerable due to exposed public keys. “Someone with a quantum computer could authorize a transaction taking all the Bitcoin out of your accounts,” researcher Justin Thaler previously told Decrypt.
Microsoft is not alone in reporting rapid quantum advances. Google’s Willow chip recently demonstrated reduced error rates, and Caltech research suggested breaking cryptography may require fewer quantum resources than thought.
Consequently, the timeline for a cryptographic breach is a subject of intense study. While Google projects Q-Day could arrive by 2032, other researchers have pointed to 2030 as a potential turning point.
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