Chinese superconducting quantum computing power sold to overseas client

The computing power of China's independently developed third-generation superconducting quantum computer, Origin Wukong, was sold to an overseas client for the first time, marking the broader international recognition of China's homegrown quantum computing technology.

Origin Quantum Computing Technology Co, China's first quantum computing company, which is based in Hefei, East China's Anhui Province, has made its first international sale, the company announced in a press release on Monday.

Origin Wukong is equipped with a 72-qubit proprietary superconducting quantum chip.

Since its launch on January 6, Origin Wukong has completed 270,000 computing tasks from 133 countries worldwide. Users from the US, Russia, and Japan rank among the top three users accessing Origin Wukong remotely from abroad.

"The purchase of China's indigenous quantum computing capabilities by foreign enterprises marks an initial international recognition of China's quantum computing strength," Zhao Xuejiao, deputy director of the Anhui Quantum Computing Engineering Research Center and head of the Origin Wukong cloud service development team, told the Global Times on Monday, noting that the company now offers superconducting quantum computing power in the global market at the same price as rivals like IBM.

Zhao noted that universities, including Peking University, have subscribed to use its quantum computing capabilities, and more than 60 Chinese universities have launched quantum computing education programs centered around Origin Wukong.

"The export of China's computing power will promote the commercialization of quantum computing technology and enhance China's position in the global quantum computing sector," Wang Peng, an associate research fellow at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Monday.

According to the press release, the world's largest-scale quantum computing simulation of fluid dynamics has been completed, powered by Origin Wukong. These enhanced computing capabilities expedite automobile and aircraft design upgrades and reduce costs, while traditional computers are increasingly struggling to meet similar demands of computational scale, accuracy, and speed.

"China will bolster the integration of quantum computing technology with various industries, promoting its application in finance, healthcare, and logistics," Wang added, stressing the economic and social value of quantum computing technology through commercialization.