Microsoft says it has developed a breakthrough quantum processor based on a new state of matter, giving it a clear path to achieve quantum computing’s long-term promise of solving some of the world’s most difficult problems.

With the development, Microsoft is raising the stakes in what is set to be the next big technological contest.

Traditional quantum computing needs intricate and cumbersome procedures to control each and every qubit. However, with Microsoft’s approach, manipulating a qubit is as simple as flipping a light switch using simple voltage pulses. This marks a paradigm shift in how quantum systems are designed and scaled.