Latest news with #GoogleQuantumAI
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Billionaire Chamath Palihapitiya has a blunt warning about quantum computing
Billionaire Chamath Palihapitiya has a blunt warning about quantum computing originally appeared on TheStreet. Billionaire investor Chamath Palihapitiya has warned that Google revealed breaking common encryption might be closer than we thought. 'If this is even remotely true, combined with everything else happening rn, the only safe trade are hard assets and, dare I say, gold,' Chamath posted on X. 'Sheesh.' In a blog post on May 23 titled 'Tracking the Cost of Quantum Factoring,' Google researchers announced they've drastically lowered the bar for what it would take to break RSA encryption, one of the most widely used security systems on the internet. 'Yesterday, we published a preprint demonstrating that 2048-bit RSA encryption could theoretically be broken by a quantum computer with 1 million noisy qubits running for one week,' wrote Craig Gidney and Sophie Schmieg from Google Quantum AI. Just five years ago, that number was 20 million qubits. Before that? A billion. RSA encryption is a form of asymmetric cryptography, which is basically a way to lock and unlock data using two separate keys: a public one and a private one. It's used in everything from HTTPS connections to secure emails, logins, and financial transactions. Google credits a combination of algorithmic improvements and more efficient quantum error correction. 'The reduction in physical qubit count comes from two sources: better algorithms and better error correction... On the algorithmic side, the key change is to compute an approximate modular exponentiation rather than an exact one.' They pointed to work by Chevignard, Fouque, and Schrottenloher from 2024 that enabled '1000x more operations than prior work,' which Google then optimized down to just 2x overhead. 'On the error correction side, the key change is tripling the storage density of idle logical qubits by adding a second layer of error correction,' the post added. This layered correction, plus a new technique called magic state cultivation, means quantum computers may now require far fewer resources to do serious damage. While RSA is not used in Bitcoin, the underlying principles matter. Bitcoin's cryptography, specifically, ECDSA (Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm)—is also vulnerable to quantum computing, just like RSA. And the threat isn't just theoretical. As Google notes: 'For asymmetric encryption, in particular encryption in transit, the motivation to migrate to PQC is made more urgent due to the fact that an adversary can collect ciphertexts, and later decrypt them once a quantum computer is available, known as a 'store now, decrypt later' attack.' That line is especially chilling for crypto. Anyone who's ever sent Bitcoin using a public key is technically exposed in a future where a powerful enough quantum computer exists. And the only thing standing between that and billions in value being drained is time and preparation. At the time of writing, Bitcoin was trading at $105,574, down 1.8% on the day, mirroring a broader pullback across the crypto market, with most major tokens in the red. Billionaire Chamath Palihapitiya has a blunt warning about quantum computing first appeared on TheStreet on May 30, 2025 This story was originally reported by TheStreet on May 30, 2025, where it first appeared. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Quantum Computing Could Break Bitcoin-Like Encryption Far Easier Than Intially Thought, Google Researcher Says
A new research paper by Google Quantum AI researcher Craig Gidney shows that breaking widely used RSA encryption may require 20 times fewer quantum resources than previously believed. The finding did not specifically mention bitcoin BTC or other cryptocurrencies, but took aim at the encryption methods that form the technical backbone used to secure crypto wallets and, in some cases, transactions. RSA is a public-key encryption algorithm used to encrypt and decrypt data. It relies on two different but linked keys: a public key for encryption and a private key for decryption. Bitcoin doesn't use RSA, but relies on elliptic curve cryptography (ECC). However, ECC can also be broken by Shor's algorithm, a quantum algorithm designed to factor large numbers or solve logarithm problems — which form the heart of public key cryptography. ECC is a way to lock and unlock digital data using mathematical calculations called curves (which compute only in one direction) instead of big numbers. Think of it as a smaller key that's just as strong as a larger one. While 256-bit ECC keys are significantly more secure than 2048-bit RSA keys, quantum threats scale nonlinearly, and research like Gidney's compresses the timeline by which such attacks become feasible. 'I estimate that a 2048-bit RSA integer could be factored in under a week by a quantum computer with fewer than one million noisy qubits,' Gidney wrote. This was a stark revision from his 2019 paper, which estimated such a feat would require 20 million qubits and take eight hours. To be clear: no such machine exists yet. IBM's most powerful quantum processor to date, Condor, clocks in at just over 1,100 qubits, and Google's Sycamore has 53. Quantum computing leverages the principles of quantum mechanics, using quantum bits or qubits instead of traditional bits. Unlike bits, which represent either a 0 or a 1, qubits can represent both 0 and 1 simultaneously due to quantum phenomena like superposition and entanglement. This allows quantum computers to perform multiple calculations at once, potentially solving problems that are currently intractable for classical computers. 'This is a 20-fold decrease in the number of qubits from our previous estimate,' Gidney said in a post.A 20x efficiency boost in quantum cost estimation for RSA may reflect algorithmic trends that could eventually apply to ECC too. RSA is still very widely used in TLS, email encryption, and certificate authorities, which are all vital to the infrastructure crypto often piggybacks on. Researchers, such as the quantum research group Project 11, are actively exploring whether even weakened versions of Bitcoin's encryption can be broken by today's quantum hardware. The group earlier this year launched a public bounty offering 1 BTC (~$85,000) to anyone able to break tiny ECC key sizes — between 1 and 25 bits — using a quantum computer. The goal isn't to break Bitcoin today, but to measure how close current systems can be.
Globe and Mail
27-05-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Google's Quantum Breakthrough Could Break Encryption—Q-Day Is No Longer Sci-Fi
Google (GOOG) (GOOGL) just dropped a quantum bombshell. A new study from Google Quantum AI reveals that RSA-2048 encryption—a cornerstone of online security used by banks, email services, and government systems—could be broken in under a week using fewer than one million noisy qubits. That's a 95% reduction from previous estimates that called for 20 million qubits. Confident Investing Starts Here: No current quantum computer can pull this off yet, but the bar is now significantly lower. The system would require five days of nonstop quantum operation, ultra-fast surface code cycles, and near-perfect gate fidelity—technical challenges, yes, but ones that hardware roadmaps aim to solve by the early 2030s. In an earlier piece, we described Q-Day, the moment quantum computers can break today's encryption, as a looming threat, a digital Armageddon where banks get hacked, financial markets melt down, and encrypted records turn into open books overnight. That may have felt like sci-fi before. But Google's findings turn Q-Day from a 'Matrix-style' hypothetical into a 'Mission: Countdown' with a clear blueprint. Why It Matters for Investors This isn't just a cryptography update. It's a market-moving event in slow motion. If RSA encryption falls, it doesn't just affect spy agencies or gamers in basements. It strikes the core of digital trust. That means brokerages, fintech apps, banks, and trading platforms would face an existential crisis unless they transition to post-quantum cryptography (PQC) before quantum hardware catches up. Even though Q-Day isn't here yet, adversaries are already harvesting encrypted data to decrypt later. ' Harvest now, decrypt later ' isn't a conspiracy theory; it's a policy concern raised by both the U.S. and China. Who Gains from Post-Quantum Security? The biggest winners in this new landscape are cybersecurity firms specializing in quantum-resistant protocols and zero-trust architecture. Companies like CrowdStrike (CRWD), Palo Alto Networks (PANW), and Fortinet (FTNT) are likely to see a surge in demand as governments and corporations race to fortify their infrastructure. Meanwhile, quantum hardware players such as IBM (IBM), Quantinuum, and PsiQuantum just saw the target move from science fiction to an engineering problem. They now have a shot at real commercial traction if they can deliver million-qubit machines by the next decade. Financial institutions with foresight—names like JPMorgan (JPM) that have already dipped into quantum readiness—could be early stabilizers when panic sets in elsewhere. Preparing won't just be about defense—it'll be a brand advantage. Bear in mind, there will be losers too. Legacy tech firms stuck on outdated cryptographic standards could face lawsuits, customer flight, and even regulatory penalties. Cryptocurrencies are another big vulnerability. Many coins rely on traditional public-key encryption, and unless their foundations are upgraded, they could become worthless overnight in a post-Q-Day world. Also, governments or businesses that drag their feet past 2030 will risk learning the hard way that quantum speed waits for no one. The Comparison tool below highlights all the companies mentioned in this article, with one standout detail: both PANW and FTNT boast a perfect TipRanks Smart Score, underscoring the strong fundamentals behind these leading cybersecurity players. The Clock Is Ticking According to NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology), all vulnerable cryptographic systems should be deprecated after 2030 and disallowed after 2035. Not because quantum computers will definitely arrive by then, but because it's reckless to bet on slow progress. Google's study gives the world a wake-up call and hardware makers a specific goal. Meanwhile, investors should ask: Who's preparing—and who's pretending? As Tony Stark once said, 'You're not the guy to make the sacrifice play… but quantum computing might be.' Maybe he didn't say that exactly, but the point stands. The race is on, and encryption is the battlefield. TipRanks takeaway: Now's the time to check which companies are quantum-safe and which are living on borrowed time.
South China Morning Post
19-02-2025
- South China Morning Post
Why quantum computing is a good news, bad news research project
Published: 11:26am, 19 Feb 2025 In the third instalment of his exclusive monthly series for the South China Morning Post, American theoretical physicist and Nobel laureate Frank Wilczek discusses the significance of Google's new Willow chip and provides a reality check on the state of quantum computing. Read the previous articles here . On December 9, Google released a new computer chip named 'Willow'. It is the central processor – basically, the brain – of the latest and (so far) greatest quantum computer . By showing a clear advantage over conventional supercomputers in a specially crafted mathematical task, and by doing meaningful error correction, Willow achieved two long-sought goals in the field. How important are those achievements, and what do they mean for the future? First, just what is a quantum computer? Physicists today believe quantum mechanics describes the behaviour of all matter. And the creative engineers who use beautifully crafted, focused lasers to sculpt the trillions of tiny, delicate semiconductor transistors at the heart of 'conventional'' modern computers – from laptops to workstations to supercomputers – are virtuoso users of quantum mechanics. In those important ways, all modern computers are quantum computers. Google Quantum AI's Willow chip was launched in December. Photo: Google Quantum AI But the phrase 'quantum computer', as it is commonly used today, means something more special and specific. Quantum computers, in this usage, are computers capable of using superpositions of different logical states. Let me spell out those two key ideas.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Google Bets on Quantum Computing, Aims for Commercial Use in Five Years
Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL)(NASDAQ:GOOG) is pushing to bring commercial quantum computing applications to market within the next five years, according to Hartmut Neven, head of Google Quantum AI. The company is focusing on materials science, drug discovery, and new energy alternatives, areas where quantum computing could make a real-world impact. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 3 Warning Signs with NVDA. Quantum computing has been in development for decades, with its potential to revolutionize cybersecurity, finance, and healthcare by solving complex problems exponentially faster than traditional computers. Governments and businesses are keeping a close eye on its progress. Not everyone is convinced it will happen soon. Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) CEO Jensen Huang recently predicted that practical quantum computing is still 20 years away, leading to a sell-off in quantum stocks. Still, Google's latest breakthroughs in quantum simulation suggest it's making steady progress, reinforcing its goal of bringing quantum computing into real-world applications much sooner than skeptics expect. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Sign in to access your portfolio
