Researchers have discovered a way to speed up quantum error correction (QEC) by a factor of up to 100 — a leap that could significantly shorten the time it takes quantum computers to solve complex problems.

The technique, called algorithmic fault tolerance (AFT), restructures quantum algorithms so they can detect and correct errors on the fly, rather than pausing to run checks at fixed intervals.

In simulations, AFT reduced the time and computational effort spent on error correction by up to 100 times while still maintaining accuracy, according to scientists at QuEra. The results, published Sept. 24 in the journal Nature, were based on tests run on a simulated neutral-atom quantum computer.