Google Unveils Willow Quantum Processor With 105 Qubits

Google Quantum AI introduced the Willow quantum processor as part of its ongoing research into advanced computing technologies. The processor was announced in December 2024 and represents a development in quantum hardware capabilities.

Willow was manufactured at Google’s facility in Santa Barbara, California, and incorporates 105 superconducting transmon qubits. The design and fabrication focused on improving the performance and reliability of quantum operations.

According to Google Quantum AI, Willow achieved an exponential reduction in error rates as the number of qubits increased, reaching what is described as “below threshold” quantum error correction. This indicates that the chip was able to manage errors more effectively as its scale grew.

The processor demonstrated its computational capabilities by completing a Random Circuit Sampling benchmark in less than five minutes. Google Quantum AI stated that this task would require approximately 10 septillion years for one of the fastest existing supercomputers to complete.

What the numbers show

• Willow was announced on December 9, 2024
• The chip includes 105 superconducting transmon qubits
• Willow’s qubits reached T1 coherence times near 100 microseconds, about five times longer than earlier chips
• The processor completed a benchmark in under five minutes versus 1025 years for classical systems
• Willow performed the Quantum Echoes algorithm 13,000 times faster than classical supercomputers

In October 2025, Google announced that Willow executed the Quantum Echoes algorithm and achieved what the company described as verifiable quantum advantage. The processor completed the algorithm 13,000 times faster than a classical supercomputer, according to Google’s published results.

Willow’s Quantum Echoes algorithm enabled the modeling of molecular structures. The outcomes matched the results of traditional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods for molecules with 15 and 28 atoms, demonstrating the chip’s application in scientific simulations.

Improvements in Willow’s qubit design led to T1 coherence times approaching 100 microseconds. This duration is approximately five times longer than those observed in Google’s previous generation quantum chips.

Google Quantum AI stated that the Willow processor’s advancements in error correction and computational speed reflect ongoing efforts to develop more capable quantum hardware. The company continues to report on the processor’s performance through official channels and research publications.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.