Google Quantum AI says its new Willow processor has reached a logical error rate below 1%, a milestone that could move error-corrected quantum computing closer to practical use. The company said the result was achieved with 105 physical qubits arranged in a distance-7 surface code.

According to the report, the finding marks the first time a superconducting quantum device has passed this threshold for fault-tolerant operation. In quantum computing, reducing logical errors is crucial because raw hardware errors can quickly overwhelm computations as systems scale up.

The result does not mean quantum computers are ready for broad commercial deployment. But it does suggest steady progress in a field where researchers have long struggled to make qubits stable enough for reliable calculations.

Google’s latest announcement adds to the race among major tech firms and research labs to build systems that can correct errors efficiently. If the approach continues to improve, scientists say it could open the door to more powerful simulations, chemistry research, and other tasks that classical computers handle poorly.