Microsoft unveils Majorana 2 quantum chip with 1,000‑fold qubit reliability boost

Microsoft announced the Majorana 2 quantum chip, which improves qubit reliability by a factor of 1,000 compared with its earlier Majorana prototype. The new topological design extends qubit lifetimes to about 20 seconds, with peak stability reaching one minute, versus microseconds in conventional quantum chips. The company aims to build a scalable quantum computer by 2029, halving its original timeline.

Majorana 2 replaces the aluminum superconductor used in the first version with lead, which better shields the fragile qubits from environmental interference. Microsoft says the chip’s architecture is crafted atom‑by‑atom, and that artificial‑intelligence tools were employed to process decades of accumulated data, enabling the precise material engineering required for the advance.