Microsoft’s Majorana 1 quantum chip
John Brecher/Microsoft
In February, Microsoft unveiled a new quantum computer called Majorana 1 and it quickly became one of the most controversial devices in quantum computing.
Majorana 1 has sparked controversy because it relies on a particular type of quantum bit, or qubit, called a topological qubit. Theoretically, these are much more error-proof than the alternatives, making them an attractive proposition for building a largely error-proof quantum computer. For years, Microsoft has attempted to do just that, using elusive quasiparticles called Majorana zero modes (MZMs) as the basis for topological qubits – but its track record has been mixed.
In 2021, an article by a group of Microsoft researchers was removed from the scientific journal. Nature after independent experts identified a flaw in the analysis that aimed to establish the cornerstone of topological qubits. Then, in 2023, an experiment concerning a predecessor of Majorana 1 was strongly criticized by several experts.
Thus, Microsoft’s 2025 project Nature the newspaper announcing Majorana 1 was always going to be closely scrutinized. Unusually, the document was published with a note from Nature The editorial team stated that “the results of this manuscript do not represent evidence for the presence of Majorana zero modes in the reported devices,” while a press release from Microsoft stated the exact opposite.
Microsoft’s Chetan Nayak attempted to address the concerns during a comprehensive presentation at the American Physical Society’s World Summit in Anaheim, California, in March. He shared details of new data, but critics aren’t convinced.
“The data they presented then and since just doesn’t show a working topological qubit. It doesn’t even show the basic elements of a topological qubit,” says Henry Legg of the University of St Andrews in the UK, one of these critics.
Nayak says the community response this year has been enthusiastic and inspiring. “As expected, there was thoughtful debate and curious engagement around our recent findings and continued research.”
In July, the company released more data, and Eun-Ah Kim of Cornell University in New York said these measurements showed more indicative behavior of a topological qubit than those previously presented. “[I am] very happy to see the progress,” she says.
Nayak and his colleagues are now convinced that further advances are on the horizon, and they are working to make their next quantum computer larger than Majorana 1, which will, in theory, allow it to run complex calculations without errors. The project was also selected to advance to the final phase of the Quantum Benchmarking Initiative led by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, with the goal of rigorously identifying a feasible way to build useful quantum computers.
“The past year has been transformative for our quantum program. The launch of the Majorana 1 chip marked a pivotal moment, not only for Microsoft, but for the field of quantum computing,” says Nayak.
But will 2026 be the year when Microsoft’s work will satisfy its detractors? Legg remains skeptical. “Fundamental physics is not meeting the deadlines set by big tech companies,” he says.
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