Microsoft Unveils Majorana 2 Quantum Chip with Improved Qubit Lifetimes (heise.de)

• Median qubit lifetime of 20 seconds, up to 60 seconds peak
• Material change: lead superconductor, new semiconductor alloys
• Revised roadmap: commercial quantum computer targeted for 2029
• AI agents used for development and optimization
• DARPA final-phase selection for quantum benchmarking
• Ongoing skepticism due to retracted paper and disputed evidence

"Microsoft announced the Majorana 2 quantum chip at its Build conference, claiming a median qubit lifetime of 20 seconds – a thousand-fold improvement over its predecessor. The company revised its roadmap to target a scalable commercial quantum computer by 2029. The chip uses a new material mix: lead instead of aluminum, and a combination of indium arsenide and indium arsenide antimonide. Skepticism persists due to a retracted 2018 Nature paper and ongoing debates about the validity of topological qubits. DARPA has selected Microsoft for the final phase of its quantum benchmarking program."