Shares of Alphabet, Google’s parent company, surged by as much as 6% on Tuesday after the announcement of a significant advancement in quantum computing with its new chip, “Willow.”
The “Willow” chip can solve a complex problem in under five minutes—an achievement that would take a leading supercomputer roughly 10 septillion years, far exceeding the age of the universe, according to Google CEO Sundar Pichai.
“We view Willow as a crucial milestone in our efforts to create a practical quantum computer with applications in areas such as drug discovery, fusion energy, and battery design,” Pichai shared in a post on X.
This stock increase propelled Alphabet shares to their highest point since July. The company has faced pressure in recent months from investors concerned about a landmark antitrust case that could potentially break up Google’s online search operations.
