The span of time vastly exceeds the age of the universe.

Measuring only 4cm², the chip’s speed is being described as “mindboggling” by scientists.

The breakthrough, made in Santa Barbara, California, promises to revolutionise fields from drug development to artificial intelligence.

Hartmut Neven, founder of Google Quantum AI, said: “Quantum processors are peeling away at a double exponential rate and will continue to vastly outperform classical computers as we scale up.”

He added the results, published in the Nature journal, “cracks a key challenge in quantum error correction that the field has pursued for almost 30 years”.

Quantum computing harnesses the principle that matter can exist in multiple states at once, enabling far more complex calculations than previously possible.

It could accelerate advances in nuclear fusion, AI, and medical science – such as interpreting MRI scans in unprecedented detail.

Willow’s improvements in error correction mark a significant step, as quantum chips are notoriously fragile, with microscopic defects, cosmic rays, and ionizing radiation disrupting their processes.

Dr Peter Leek, a research fellow at Oxford’s Quantum Institute, described the results as a “shining example” of progress in quantum error correction but noted the calculations were “not of much real-world use”.

He added: “I’m very optimistic. I think we’re going to see a real acceleration over the next five years. Then we’ll be able to say, look, this machine has calculated an interesting thing that I can explain to someone, and how it could be used in the real world.”

Despite the promise of its potential to help the world, concerns remain over quantum computing’s potential to break current encryption systems.

Charina Chou, Google Quantum AI’s director, warned: “Security experts have had ample time to figure out what post-quantum encryption should look like.

“We’re collaborating with companies, academics, and startups to advance physics, chemistry, and material science in this space.”