In a new demonstration, a U.S. researcher showcased that a quantum computer outperforms supercomputers in approximate optimization tasks.

The University of Southern California-led (USC) study demonstrated the first quantum scaling advantage for approximate optimization problem-solving using a quantum annealer.

Quantum annealing is a specific type of quantum computing that can use quantum physics principles to find high-quality solutions to difficult optimization problems. Rather than requiring exact optimal solutions, the study focused on finding solutions within a certain percentage (≥1%) of the optimal value, according to researchers.