It’s the first time anyone has achieved this experimental milestone of scaling a logical qubit. We’ve been working towards this milestone and the ones ahead because quantum computers have the potential to bring tangible benefits to the lives of millions. Someday, we believe quantum computers will be used to identify molecules for new medicines, create fertilizer using less energy, design more efficient sustainable technologies from batteries to nuclear fusion reactors, and produce physics research that will lead to advances we can’t yet imagine. That’s why we’re working on eventually making quantum hardware, tools and applications available to customers and partners, including through Google Cloud, so that they can harness the power of quantum in new and exciting ways.

Helping others to realize the full potential of quantum will require us to achieve even more technical milestones in order to scale to thousands of logical qubits with low error rates. There’s a long road ahead — several components of our technology will need to be improved, from cryogenics to control electronics to the design and materials of our qubits. With such developments, large-scale quantum computers will come into clearer view. Developing quantum processors is also an excellent testbed for AI-assisted engineering as we explore the use of machine learning to improve our processes.

We are also taking steps to develop quantum computing responsibly, given its powerful potential. Our partnerships with governments and the security community are helping to create systems that can protect internet traffic from future quantum computer attacks. And we’re making sure services like Google Cloud, Android and Chrome remain safe and secure in a quantum future.

I am inspired by what quantum computing could mean for the future of our users, customers and partners, and the world. We’ll continue to work towards a day when quantum computers can work in tandem with classical computers to expand the boundaries of human knowledge and help us find solutions to some of the world’s most complex problems.