Crazy Flux
  • Business
  • World
  • Stocks
  • Investing
  • Business
  • World
  • Stocks
  • Investing

Crazy Flux

Business

Microsoft reveals its first quantum computing chip, the Majorana 1

by admin February 21, 2025
February 21, 2025
Microsoft reveals its first quantum computing chip, the Majorana 1

Microsoft on Wednesday announced Majorana 1, its first quantum computing chip. 

The achievement comes after the company has spent nearly two decades of research in the field. 

Technologists believe quantum computers could one day efficiently solve problems that would be taxing if not impossible for classical computers. Today’s computers use bits that can be either on or off while quantum computers employ quantum bits, or qubits, that can operate in both states simultaneously.

Google and IBM have also developed quantum processors, as have smaller companies IonQ and Rigetti Computing. Microsoft’s quantum chip employs eight topological qubits using indium arsenide, which is a semiconductor, and aluminum, which is a superconductor. A new paper in the journal Nature describes the chip in detail.

Microsoft won’t be allowing clients to use its Majorana 1 chip through the company’s Azure public cloud, as it plans to do with its custom artificial intelligence chip, Maia 100. Instead, Majorana 1 is a step toward a goal of a million qubits on a chip, following extensive physics research.

Rather than rely on Taiwan Semiconductor or another company for fabrication, Microsoft is manufacturing the components of Majorana 1 itself in the U.S. That’s possible because the work is unfolding at a small scale.

“We want to get to a few hundred qubits before we start talking about commercial reliability,” Jason Zander, a Microsoft executive vice president, told CNBC.

In the meantime, the company will engage with national laboratories and universities on research using Majorana 1. 

Despite the focus on research, investors are fascinated by quantum.

IonQ shares went up 237% in 2024, and Rigetti gained nearly 1,500%. The two generated a combined $14.8 million in third-quarter revenue. Further gains came in January, after Microsoft issued a blog post declaring that 2025 is “the year to become quantum-ready.”

Microsoft’s Azure Quantum cloud service, which lets developers experiment with programs and algorithms, offers access to chips from IonQ and Rigetti. It’s possible that a Microsoft quantum chip might become available through Azure before 2030, Zander said.

“There’s a lot of speculation that we’re decades off from this,” he said. “We believe it’s more like years.”

Rather than exist as a stand-alone category, quantum computing might end up boosting other parts of Microsoft. For example, there’s Microsoft’s AI business, which has an annualized revenue run rate that exceeds $13 billion. Quantum computers could be used to build data used to train AI models, Zander said. 

“Now you can ask it to invent some new molecule, invent some new drug, something that really would have been impossible to do before,” Zander said.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

previous post
Walmart is getting a bump from a surprising cohort: Wealthier shoppers
next post
New Purpose ETFs Give Canadian Investors Access to Leading Tech Stocks

Related Posts

Amazon taps Xbox co-founder to lead new team...

May 31, 2025

Joann to shutter all 800 fabric stores after...

February 26, 2025

Trump-branded wireless service launches — with a gold...

June 18, 2025

Amazon expects to cut corporate jobs as it...

June 19, 2025

Krispy Kreme stock plunges after doughnut chain pauses...

May 9, 2025

Howard Schultz says he ‘did a cartwheel’ when...

June 13, 2025

Trump says it’s ‘highly unlikely’ he will fire...

July 18, 2025

Trump moves to develop sovereign wealth fund to...

February 5, 2025

Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian takes minority stake in...

May 17, 2025

OpenAI tops 3 million paying business users, launches...

June 5, 2025

    Join our mailing list to get access to special deals, promotions, and insider information. Your exclusive benefits await! Enjoy personalized recommendations, first dibs on sales, and members-only content that makes you feel like a true VIP. Sign up now and start saving!


    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Recent

    • The Real Drivers of This Market: AI, Semis & Robotics

      July 25, 2025
    • Momentum Leaders Are Rotating — Here’s How to Find Them

      July 25, 2025
    • S&P 500 Breaking Out Again: What This Means for Your Portfolio

      July 25, 2025
    • Carbonxt Group

      July 25, 2025
    • xU3O8 Token Launches on Major Global Trading Venues: KuCoin, MEXC and Gate.com

      July 25, 2025
    • Glencore to Close Last Australian Copper Mines, Smelter’s Fate Uncertain

      July 25, 2025
    • About us
    • Contacts
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Email Whitelisting

    Disclaimer: crazyflux.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.


    Copyright © 2025 crazyflux.com | All Rights Reserved