Microsoft shocked the tech world by announcing its Majorana 1 quantum chip on Feb. 19, marking a transformative leap of innovation in the rapidly evolving field. Quantum computers are intended to solve highly complex calculations in areas such as machine learning,

Microsoft has introduced Majorana 1, a quantum chip with a "Topological Core" architecture, potentially enabling powerful quantum computers within years instead of decades. The breakthrough stems from a newly developed material called a topoconductor,

Microsoft said they created a computer chip that uses a new state of matter that will be capable of running the most powerful computers ever — a potential breakthrough for quantum computing that many believed was decades away.