Elon Musk lauds Microsoft’s quantum leap with Majorana 1

Tesla chief Elon Musk has lauded Microsoft’s latest quantum computing breakthrough after CEO Satya Nadella introduced the world’s first Quantum Processing Unit (QPU).

Responding to Nadella’s post on X, Musk said, “More and more breakthroughs with quantum computing….”

Microsoft’s Majorana 1, a palm-sized chip, is built on a topoconductor rather than a traditional semiconductor and could achieve million-qubit processing speeds within years, not decades, Nadella said.


Musk recently criticised Microsoft-backed artificial intelligence (AI) firm OpenAI’s $500 billion AI project, backed by the Donald Trump administration. He took a swipe at SoftBank and OpenAI, which have pledged an initial $100 billion towards the initiative, claiming they “don’t have any money.”

However, he acknowledged that Microsoft, under Nadella’s leadership, has the $80 billion needed for its share of the investment.

What sets it apart?

Unlike conventional quantum processors, Microsoft has engineered a new material called ‘topoconductor,’ which is more stable, smaller in size, error-resistant, and digitally controllable.

“The architecture used to develop the Majorana 1 processor offers a clear path to fit a million qubits on a single chip,” the company stated in a blog.

The topoconductor was developed using a new materials stack made of indium arsenide and aluminium, whereas most semiconductors rely on silicon.

Also Read: ETtech Explainer: Microsoft’s ‘new state of matter’ chips offer a quantum leap in tech

What Nadella said on X?

“A couple reflections on the quantum computing breakthrough we just announced...Most of us grew up learning there are three main types of matter that matter: solid, liquid, and gas. Today, that changed.”

He added, “After a nearly 20 year pursuit, we’ve created an entirely new state of matter……..We believe this breakthrough will allow us to create a truly meaningful quantum computer not in decades, as some have predicted, but in years.”

Also Read: Microsoft announces $3 billion investment in India, to train 10 million in AI skills