Despite performing several important tasks beyond the abilities of classical computers, realizing quantum computers’ potential remains a significant challenge.
A new study by researchers from JPMorganChase, Quantinuum, Argonne National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the University of Texas at Austin experimentally demonstrated certified randomness using a 56-qubit quantum computer. This is a milestone in the field of quantum computing.
Scott Aaronson, Schlumberger Centennial Chair of Computer Science and director of the Quantum Information Center at UT Austin said, “When I first proposed my certified randomness protocol in 2018, I had no idea how long I’d need to wait to see an experimental demonstration of it. Building upon the original protocol and realizing it is a first step toward using quantum computers to generate certified random bits for actual cryptographic applications.”
Last year, Google researchers achieved quantum supremacy. However, converting this power into solving a practical task remained an open challenge.
Researchers in this study addressed this challenge by using random circuit sampling (RCS) to generate certified randomness. The method ensures that even if someone took control of the quantum computer, they couldn’t alter the output without losing the “randomness” certification.
Over the internet, the team accessed a 56-qubit Quantinuum quantum computer and created verified random bits. They ran a protocol (based on Random Circuit Sampling or RCS) that produces more random bits than it starts with.
Stable quantum bits
The protocol consists of two steps. The first step involves repeatedly feeding the quantum computer challenges to quickly solve by randomly picking one of the many possible solutions. The second step, on the other hand, involves mathematically certifying the randomness using classical supercomputers.
The team demonstrated that classical methods cannot replicate quantum randomness. They used high-performance supercomputers with a combined processing power of 1.1 ExaFLOPS (extremely fast computational speed) to verify this. These systems successfully certified 71,313 entropy bits, confirming the random bits’ authenticity.
Marco Pistoia, Head of Global Technology Applied Research and Distinguished Engineer, JPMorganChase said, “This work marks a major milestone in quantum computing, demonstrating a solution to a real-world challenge using a quantum computer beyond the capabilities of classical supercomputers today.”
“This development of certified randomness not only shows advancements in quantum hardware but will be vital to further research, statistical sampling, numerical simulations, and cryptography.”
Journal Reference
- Liu, M., Shaydulin, R., Niroula, P. et al. Certified randomness using a trapped-ion quantum processor. Nature (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-08737-1
Source: Tech Explorist
