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A New Era in Quantum Computing: Certified Randomness Achieved
A team of leading scientists from JPMorgan Chase, Quantinuum, Argonne National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and The University of Texas at Austin has reached an unprecedented milestone in quantum computing. In a landmark achievement published in the prestigious journal Nature, the researchers successfully generated and certified truly random numbers using a state-of-the-art 56-qubit quantum computer—ushering in a new era for cryptography, digital privacy, and secure data applications worldwide.
Unpacking the Breakthrough: What Is Certified Randomness?
Randomness plays an essential role across technology, from securing communications and safeguarding privacy to ensuring fair algorithms in AI and financial systems. Traditionally, classical computers struggle to produce truly random numbers; they often depend on hardware random-number generators, which are vulnerable to manipulation and lack strong mathematical guarantees of unpredictability. However, in this groundbreaking experiment, the team introduced a process called “certified randomness” — proving not only that the numbers are unpredictable, but also that they are newly created and mathematically validated as genuinely random.
This advancement could transform secure communications and cryptographic systems, enabling new levels of trust and integrity in data generation and exchange.
The Science Behind the Milestone
The innovation draws on a protocol originally proposed by Scott Aaronson, a distinguished professor of computer science at UT Austin. With the collaborative support of postdoctoral researcher Shih-Han Hung, Aaronson’s vision moved from theoretical groundwork to experimental reality.
To achieve certified randomness, the researchers leveraged Quantinuum’s advanced System Model H2-1 quantum computer remotely, exploiting a powerful approach called random circuit sampling (RCS). RCS is a computational task so complex that even today's most sophisticated classical supercomputers cannot feasibly replicate it. Here's how the experiment unfolded:
Step 1: Quantum Challenge
The team created a sequence of challenge circuits from a small randomness seed and sent these to the 56-qubit quantum computer. Each circuit required the quantum computer to produce an outcome selected randomly from many possibilities.
Step 2: Classical Verification
Utilizing an aggregate computational power of 1.1 ExaFLOPS (1.1 × 10¹⁸ floating-point operations per second) from multiple supercomputers, the researchers rigorously verified the certified randomness, confirming that the 71,313 generated random bits could not possibly be simulated using classical methods under realistic conditions.
Product Features and System Comparison
The H2 system by Quantinuum was upgraded to 56 qubits in June 2024, giving it greater connectivity and precision than prior generations. Every qubit in the H2 can connect directly to any other, dramatically boosting its proficiency in random circuit sampling. This upgrade made the implementation of Aaronson’s protocol not only feasible, but highly efficient, marking a substantial leap forward compared to earlier quantum hardware.
Advantages and Real-World Applications
- Unprecedented Security: Certified randomness raises the security bar for cryptography, reducing risks tied to pseudo-random generators.
- Composable Privacy: Enhanced privacy and fairness for digital transactions and AI systems, as certified entropy can be independently verified.
- Robust Tamper Resistance: Unlike classical systems, even attempts to interfere with the quantum device cannot mimic the unpredictability needed to pass certification.
In the words of Marco Pistoia, Head of Global Technology Applied Research at JPMorgan Chase, “This milestone demonstrates quantum computing solving a real-world problem, outperforming what is possible for today’s classical supercomputers.”
Relevance to the Quantum Computing Market
With practical, demonstrable advantages now proven in real-world conditions, this breakthrough signals a major advancement toward the commercialization of quantum computing technology. As Dr. Rajeeb Hazra, President and CEO of Quantinuum, puts it, “We celebrate a pivotal milestone bringing quantum computing into the realm of practical, usable solutions.”
The project also benefited from top-tier computational support from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge, Argonne, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories, reinforcing the role of national facilities in keeping the U.S. at the forefront of quantum innovation.
Transformative Impact for Future Applications
While the theoretical superiority of quantum systems has long been established, this experiment represents a crucial step as quantum computers now outperform classical systems in generating certified random numbers—tangible value for cryptography, data security, and beyond. The results underscore a growing consensus in the technology community: we are entering an era where quantum computers will provide solutions to challenges classical technology simply cannot address.
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