Intel Launches New Quantum Chip with Potential to Replace x86 Processors

Global chipmaker Intel has launched a new quantum chip called Tunnel Falls. This silicon-based chip marks an important milestone toward commercialising future quantum computing systems. With Tunnel Falls, Intel aims to enable specific research partners to conduct research and development work, making it easier than ever before to focus on the technology’s advancement. The company notes that other qubit technologies are less effective than silicon spin qubits due to their superior synergy with transistors. It also highlights that quantum computing can provide unprecedented levels of parallelism and computing efficiency when compared to traditional computing in certain sectors, such as cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence. Tunnel Falls offers a more efficient approach because it is 1 million times smaller than other qubit chips, and Intel is already working on a next-generation quantum chip based on Tunnel Falls. This new chip should be available for commercial use as soon as 2024.