A team led by USC professor Daniel Lidar has achieved what experts call the "holy grail" of quantum computing: the first unconditional exponential speedup over classical computers. Using IBM's 127-qubit Eagle quantum processors, researchers demonstrated this breakthrough by solving a variation of Simon's problem, considered a precursor to Shor's factoring algorithm.
The results, published in Physical Review X on June 5, 2025, represent a fundamental shift in quantum computing's practical capabilities. "An exponential speedup is the most dramatic type of speed up that we expect to see from quantum computers," explains Lidar, who is also cofounder of Quantum Elements, Inc.
Unlike previous claims that required unproven assumptions about classical algorithms, this achievement is considered "unconditional" - meaning the quantum performance advantage cannot be disputed or reversed. The researchers implemented sophisticated error correction techniques including dynamical decoupling and measurement error mitigation to achieve reliable results despite the inherent noise in current quantum systems.
In other significant AI developments, Google DeepMind introduced AlphaGenome, a powerful new AI model for DNA sequence analysis. The system can process up to one million DNA letters simultaneously and predict thousands of molecular properties at single base-pair resolution. Available via API for non-commercial research, AlphaGenome aims to shed light on how genetic variations impact gene regulation and disease mechanisms.
"This is one of the most fundamental problems not just in biology — in all of science," said Pushmeet Kohli, Google DeepMind's head of AI for science. The model builds on DeepMind's previous genomics work and complements AlphaMissense, which specializes in protein-coding regions.
Meanwhile, Microsoft announced on July 2 that it would eliminate 9,000 jobs globally, representing nearly 4% of its workforce. This follows earlier cuts of 6,000 positions in May, bringing total 2025 layoffs to over 15,000. The reductions come as Microsoft pledged $80 billion in capital expenditure for fiscal year 2025, primarily focused on AI infrastructure development.
The timing reflects a broader challenge facing technology companies as they balance massive AI investments with workforce optimization. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently noted that up to 30% of the company's code is now written by AI tools, signaling a shift toward more automated operations.