(CNN)-- It depends on mind-bending physics and ultra-cold temperatures but quantum computing could bring about a new era in processing power that promises to revolutionize everything from artificial intelligence to high finance.
The field of quantum computing is still in its infancy but it was given a sizable boost when Google announced in September that it is partnering with experts from the University of California Santa Barbara to develop quantum computing technology as part of its Quantum Artificial Intelligence Lab team. The project also sees Google pairing up with NASA and the Universities Space Research Association to create technology that could become the world's fastest supercomputer.
Currently, the world's fastest computer belongs to China, the Tianhe-2 supercomputer, which can carry out about 34 quadrillion calculations per second. Experts say a quantum computer would ultimately far surpass this speed. Google's Quantum Artificial Intelligence team has been working with scientists from Canadian company D-Wave Systems, which owns what has been called the first commercially viable quantum computer.
