Microsoft to Have Scalable Quantum Computer by 2029
Microsoft has pulled forward its target date for building a practical quantum computer from 2033 to 2029, crediting a major jump in chip performance. Zulfi Alam, Microsoft's VP for quantum, announced the new target last week alongside the launch of Majorana 2, the follow-on to Majorana 1. Majorana 1 was released in early 2025, and Majorana 2 builds on it as Microsoft edges toward hardware that outstrips conventional machines. A practical quantum machine would tackle classes of problems that conventional computers cannot crack within any useful timeframe. Majorana 2 qubits hold their state for about 20 seconds, roughly 1,000 times longer than its predecessor. Keeping qubits stable is a core challenge because they are inherently fragile and easily knocked off course by their…
